America and abroad for his medical and historical writings, especially forThe History of the American Revolution (1789)…” Arthur H. Shaffer,Between Two Worlds: David Ramsay and the Politics of Slavery, J.S.Hist.,Vol. L, No. 2 (May 1984).In his 1789 article, Ramsay first explained who the “original citizens”were and then defined the “natural born citizens” as the children born in thecountry to citizen parents. He said concerning the children born after thedeclaration of independence, “[c]itizenship is the inheritance of the childrenof those who have taken part in the late revolution; but this is confinedexclusively to the children of those who were themselves citizens….” Id. at6. He added that “citizenship by inheritance belongs to none but thechildren of those Americans, who, having survived the declaration of independence, acquired that adventitious character in their own right, andtransmitted it to their offspring….” Id. at 7. He continued that citizenship“as a natural right, belongs to none but those who have been born of citizenssince the 4
th
of July, 1776….” Id. at 6. Ramsay did not follow the Englishcommon law but rather natural law, the law of nations, and Vattel. See alsoGeorge D. Collins, Are Persons Within the United States Ipso Facto CitizensThereof? Am.L.Rev. (1866-1906), Sept./Oct. 1884 (same) (attached);Alexander Porter Morse, A Treatise on Citizenship (1881) (same);
Case: 09-4209 Document: 003110086303 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/02/2010