Jim, I have been doing this stuff for over 25 years.
The whole question of who qualified as a Natural Born Citizen in 1789 when the Constitution was ratified can be answered by reference to the first immigration and Naturalization act passed by the First Congress and signed into law by George Washington, the Father of this great Country.
First of all it should be noted at the outset that the laws in effect at the time of Cruz’s birth clearly entitled him to citizenship at birth status.
With that in mind, it must also be noted that the first and only definition that statutorily indicated who was entitled to NBC status was in the naturalization act of 1790 (one of the first laws signed into law by Geroge Washington) and that statute clearly stated that the children of Citizens born overseas were entitled to NBC status.
So if we are looking for a contemporary interpretation of what the founders meant by that clause, then we have it in that statute.
Therefore anyone interested in the original intent of the founders in who is a NBC, one need not look any further than the act signed into law by George Washington.
Hence if Ted Cruz had been born under the same conditions in 1790, then George Washington would have considered him an NBC.
If the first law of Naturalization that George Washington signed into law would make Ted Cruz a NBC, then I am certainly not going to argue that it was the intention of the framers to exclude him.
There is not a single doubt in my mind that Ted Cruz is a Natural Born Citizen in accordance with the definition as understood by none other than George Washington.
I understand that there are Freepers who harbor doubts on this issue. I can understand that because the issue is murkey and subject to a lot of esoteric arguments.
With that said, I think the following is an imperative:
If there is any reasonable doubt as to whether Ted Cruz would be a NBC then as pro life Christians and patriots, we owe it to both ourselves and our posterity to give Ted Cruz the benefit of that doubt.
Our posterity is counting on us to do all we can to preserve the blessings of Liberty for them. Dividing over this issue at a time like this will do nothing to accomplish that mission.
Wasn't that changed by the Immigration Act of 1795 withdrawing NBC status?
“..If there is any reasonable doubt as to whether Ted Cruz would be a NBC then as pro life Christians and patriots, we owe it to both ourselves and our posterity to give Ted Cruz the benefit of that doubt.
Our posterity is counting on us to do all we can to preserve the blessings of Liberty for them. Dividing over this issue at a time like this will do nothing to accomplish that mission.”
Great post!
Would you happen to have a link handy showing “the first law of Naturalization that George Washington signed into law would make Ted Cruz a NBC.”