Re: Re: 'Does Nikki Haley qualify as a natural born citizen? [Village News, Tevebaugh letter, 3/23/23]

Mr. Tevebaugh refers to the 14th Amendment as a definition of natural born citizen. This Amendment does not mention anything about natural born citizens. The purpose of this Amendment is to clarify what constitutes a "citizen" which is not the same as "natural born" citizen.

As I mentioned in my letter, the Founding Fathers were very specific as to the qualifications needed to run for President and Vice President – just being a "citizen" does not qualify.

Please read Article I Sec 1 paragraph 5: "No Person except a natural born Citizen...." can be President. This term is front and center to the qualifications.

A second point Mr. Tevebaugh makes is that the Founding Fathers reference to "Vattel's Law of Nations" does not make the term "law." When we, in this present day, do not know a definition of a word, what do we refer to, probably Webster's Dictionary. No one calls "Webster's Dictionary" law but certainly it is understood that a definition from that source is true.

In the days of the Founding Fathers, one of their "sources" or "dictionaries" was the “Law of Nations." There was no Webster's Dictionary in 1787. A definition is a definition. So no, there is no place in the Constitution that defines natural born citizens because the term was understood.

I gave the reference of Vattel's book so readers would know what the definition meant and was understood to be by the Founding Fathers at the time of the ratification of this document.

I will also cite five definitions of Natural Born Citizen confirmed by judicial opinion by the United States Supreme Court:

1. The Venus,12 U.S. (8Cranch) 253, 289 (1814)

2. Shanks v. Dupont. 28 U.S. 3 Pet.242, 245, (1830)

3. Dred Schott v. Standford, 60 U.S. (19 How.) 3903 (1857)

4. Minor v. Happersett, 88 U.S. 162, 167 - 168 (1875)

5. United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. (1898)

I welcome Mr. Tevebaugh to research the definition as it was understood in 1787. There are many more cases and writings to substantiate this. I also welcome his reply in the Village News where he says he will withdraw his comments if I can confirm my point that Nikki Haley is not eligible to run for President.....along with Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal and Vivek Ramaswany.

By the way, I am a Conservative Republican, but want the Constitution to be followed as written.

Judy Willis