<P> Suppose a person should be elected president who was native born, but of alien parents; could there be any reasonable doubt that he was eligible under the Constitution? I think not . The position would be decisive in his favor, that by the rule of the common law, in force when the Constitution was adopted, he is a citizen . </P> <P> And further: </P> <P> Upon principle, therefore, I can entertain no doubt, but that by the law of the United States, every person born within the dominions and allegiance of the United States, whatever the situation of his parents, is a natural born citizen . It is surprising that there has been no judicial decision upon this question . </P> <P> The decision in Lynch was cited as persuasive or authoritative precedent in numerous subsequent cases, and reinforced the interpretation that "natural born citizen" meant born "within the dominions and allegiance of the United States" regardless of parental citizenship . For example, in an 1884 case, In re Look Tin Singg, the federal court held, that despite laws preventing naturalization of Chinese visitors, Chinese persons born in the United States were citizens by birth, and remained such despite any long stay in China . Citing Lynch, Justice Stephen J. Field wrote: </P>

When do u have to be born to be 18