14th Amendment and Birthright Citizenship. Source of Original Debate in the Senate (May 30, 1866)

 If you are interested in the primary source of the debate/discussion on birthright citizenship, below is that source. Starts in the center of the page under "Reconstruction" and goes on for several pages.

Many of the quotes you have seen, for and against the proposition.   The May 30th session of the US Senate seems to be the session that has prompted the most attention in the debate.  Context matters!

Note:  Sen Howard is the main author of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment.  

If you read the next 10 pages or so, you will get the gist of the substance of the debate

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30867/m1/12/