Mr. Speaker. yesterday I called the attention of my colleagues to the danger of amending the Constitution and of enacting unconstitutional or unsound legislation. I said that it is now possible to elect a naturalized citizen President of the United States. and my reason for making that statement was in reality not only to warn Members of Congress. but the people. not to treat the Constitution disparagingly. This is how it may happen: The votes of the majority of the people now control both branches of Congress and the same majority controls the two legislative branches of the State. This majority. free from senatorial control. wields the power that elects all officials to office. As a matter of academic interest only. let us compare what may happen with past performance. Article II of the Constitution provides: No person except a naturalborn citizen. or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution. shall be eligible to the office of President. neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained the age of 35 years. and been 14 years a resident within the United States. This paragraph does not state that the party nominee must be nativeborn. and it does not say that a naturalized citizen who has been in the United States 14 years cannot be seated. It follows. therefore. that as the complete power is now in the hands of the majority of the people. and free from State control by the Senate. unforeseen changes may take place. It is. therefore. important that Congress preserve. protect. and defend the Constitution as it actually was given to us. and not as we think it ought to be. or as we think the Supreme Court might decide. for Congress is first responsible for the constitutionality of all legislation.
Keywords matched
naturalized