No person except a natural born citizen,[1] or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this constitution,[2] shall be eligible to the office of president; neither shall any person be eligible to that office, who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years,[3] and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.[4]_
[1] The importance of the office is such as, in the opinion of the framers of the constitution, to necessitate this requirement. And it does not seem unjust to make this limitation.
[2] This exception was made from a sense of gratitude to many distinguished persons, who, though not native citizens, had placed their lives and fortunes at the service of this country during the revolution, and who had already become citizens of the young republic. This provision is now, of course, obsolete.
[3] Age should bring wisdom. The age specified is great enough to permit the passions of youth to become moderated and the judgment matured. As a matter of fact, the youngest president yet elected was much older than this minimum. In monarchies the rulers are sometimes children. It cannot be so with us.
[4] But a "natural born citizen," even, may live so long in a foreign country as to lose his interest in his native land. This provision is intended to preclude the election of such persons to the presidency. They might seek it at the instance of a foreign government, for sinister purposes.
Will residence during any fourteen years satisfy the requirement? Commentators generally have expressed an affirmative opinion, based upon the fact that James Buchanan and others were elected president on their return from diplomatic service abroad. It must be remembered, however, that a person sent abroad to represent this government does not lose his residence in this country. Therefore the fact of Mr. Buchanan being elected after acting as our minister to England, has no bearing upon the question. On the other hand, the evident purpose of the provision could hardly be satisfied if a boy, a native of this country, should live here until fourteen years of age and then spend the rest of his years in a foreign country. And when the matter is carefully considered, it will be seen that the only fourteen years which will secure that state of mind in the candidate which is sought by the provision, are the fourteen years immediately preceding election. Again, twenty-one and fourteen equal thirty-five. A person "comes of age" at twenty-one. The fourteen years of manhood added would just make thirty-five years, the minimum age required. This coincidence could hardly have been accidental, and justifies the view expressed.
According to the twelfth amendment, the qualifications of the vice-president are the same as those of the president.
Clause 6.—Vacancies.
In case of the removal of the president from office, or of his death, resignation or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the vice-president, and the congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the president and vice-president, declaring what officer shall then act as president, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a president shall be elected.
If no regular succession were established, there would be danger of anarchy.