Homestead mailing list

[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> I might be wrong, but I believe that back in the late 1700's when the
> Constitution was written and ratified, the only thing that made one an
> American was moving here and declaring to be an American.   
> 

In practice, perhaps, and in general.  The Spanish and French could not just 
move here and then, voila, they were citizens.  There was great debate over 
the citizenship status of Indians and slaves from the beginning,  When it was 
to 
the government's benefit for white European settlers to come over and be 
instant citizens (not really instant, they had to be on the census roles), 
that's 
pretty much what happened.  But it was never considered unconstitutional to 
limit that.

Another thing is that in the 1700's, before today's lamentable federalism, 
one became a citizen of a state and de facto then became a US citizen and 
most 
states strictly proscribed citizenship (or residency).