John Jay, the first U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, wrote in a letter dated July 25, 1787 to George Washington regarding the qualifications of the president:
Permit me to hint, whether it would not be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of foreigners into the administration of our national government; and to declare expressly that the command in chief of the American Army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural-born citizen.