Replies

According to Alexander Hamilton to determine the meaning of terms in the Constitution, we should look to the English legal system.

“...where so important a distinction in the Constitution is to be realized, it is fair to seek the meaning of terms in the statutory language of that country from which our jurisprudence is derived.” 1795

I don't think I've ever seen a Vattel-Birther even so much as acknowledge this quote from Hamilton. Replies that are made to a post containing it just skip past it. The "I'll just pretend it doesn't exist" technique. DiogenesLamp is an exemplar of that technique.

It undermines their arguments on several levels.

We skip past it because we recognize it immediately as not being relevant. Yes, legal terms were adopted from English Common law. No, "Natural Born Citizen" wasn't one of them.

The Brits didn't have "Citizens", they had "Subjects." As the condition of a subject is completely incompatible with the condition of a citizen, putting forth a claim of ownership on someone simply because they were born on the King's soil is not compatible with the principles of American independence.