The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-23
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 XNUR esteemed contemporary the AO) Washington Post announces
 - that it has learned with some little amusement that MT Charles F. Murphy, the Tammany leader, proposes ito bring Mayor-eleet George B. McClel- Ian into the presidential arena next year. The amusement of our contempor- ary is not caused by anything in the main proposition that strikes it's sense of the ridiculous. It regards Mir. Me Clellan as Ia fine young man, able and popular" and adds that he would make "a most acceptable President"
 What tickles the Washington Posts risibles is the alleged circumstance that MT. Mcclellan, having been born in Dresden, Saxony on November 2S, 1865, is not eligible under the constitution. Our learned and acute contemporary proceeds humorously, thus:
 "It may be that a little thing like the constitution will not be considered by MT Murphy, but we take 1t that the few remaining millions of American citi- zens will view the situation in serious light"
 suppressing it's mirth as well as it can, the Washington Post is good enough to expound the fundamental law that ex- cludes young Mir Mcclellan from the high office for which his father was a candidate in 1864;
 .erhe constitution provides, among other things, that the President of the United States must be a native born citizen While it is true that Mir Me Clellan's birth in Saxony was circunl- stance over which he had no control and which might have been avoided if his parents had foreseen the contingency which now arises, the fact remains that he is not native born citizen. He was born abroad. He cannot hope to achieve that high honor unless he manages to be born again"
 The amusement of the Post will be shared by many others who read it's learned exposition of the law governing eligibility to the office of President. Sup posing that Mir. Murphy really enter tains the purpose attributed to him by the Washington newspaper, he will begin to ask himself whether MT. Mcclellan is even eligible for mayor, if the acci- denL or HIS III DitobtH dcpliNCo him of the rights of natural citizenship; for citizen must either be natural one or a naturalzed one. If MT. Mcclellan was not born citizen, when did he take out his naturalization papers?
 We think, however. that the anxiety of the Hon. Charles F. Murphy over this question will abate somewhat when he consults his copy of the United States constitution and discovers that the learned expounder in Washington has misquoted that instrument. In the clause prescribing the qualifications for the presidency there is nothing about being native born" This is the exact language:
 ''No person except natural born citi- zen. or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this const- tuition. shall be eligible to the office of President"
 The question, therefore, is not whether MT. Mcclellan was born in Saxony or in New York or New Jersey, or became one by naturalization. Natural born citizens of the required age are eligible to the or flee of President Fortunately, the statu- tory law has left no doubt as to what, in the intention of the framers of the con- stitution, constituted a natural born citf- zen. There has never been any doubt since the first naturalization law, enacted in 17s0. declared that ''the children of citi- zens of the United States that may be born beyond sea, or out of the jurisdic- tion of the United States shall be held as natural horn citizens. provided that the right to citizenship shau not, descend