...Whereas such limitations would be inconsistent with the purpose and intent of the `natural born Citizen' clause of the Constitution of the United States, as evidenced by the First Congress's own statute defining the term `natural born Citizen';I'd like to know which law they're talking about and get the text of the law. I've looked at the Statutes at Large, 1789-1875 and don't find any laws that seem to cover this issue. Perhaps ya'll will help me out here and have better luck."
---------------------------------------------------------------
They are refering to the Naturalization Act of 1790, which states (in relavent part):
"that the children of citizens [plural] of the United States that might be born beyond the sea, or out of the limits of the United States, should be considered as natural-born citizens"
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0088_0162_ZO.html
Interestingly, that verbiage is part of the Minor v. Happersett SCOTUS decision from 1875.
That part of the 1790 Act (relevant parts of which, of course, were later repealed by the 1795 Act) sounds a bit like Senator McCain's "situation" (re: Senate non binding resolution 511) doesn't it?
The "first Congress" spanned sessions from March 4, 1789 until March 3, 1791.