Baskett_William_Taylor_Diary_4

Returned and with help of [Henry Clay] Kinsey (class of 1909) played joke on Wickliffe. Kinsey rattled the letterbox as post always does & then dropped an envelope in the door, addressed to me. Wick thought it was strange that he did not receive any & cussed every

body, and chased all the way up the range to see the post-man. Moot court at night. I was fortunate to be appointed a judge again so I could join [wind]. The question was as to McClelland's right to the presidency. He was born in

Germany, while his parents were traveling there, his parents being American citizens. The question of his eligibility turned on the phrase in the Constitution — "Natural born citizen." We decided that he was, on justice

and on account of our interpretation of the intention of the framers of the constitution. We claimed being born of American parents made him natural born in distinction from native born. i.e. — Place of extraction. Rather than the ground of birth.

After the debate, Sam Russell gave a most interesting & effective discussion against the eligibility of Mr. McClelland. Russell claimed that the constitution of our country was framed on common law principles. Moreover the C. L. stated that a natural born subject was