林肯连任就职演说,英文

篇一：林肯总统就职演讲中英文对照

林肯总统在1861年的第一次就职演说--英文版

FirstinauguraladdressofabrahamLincolnmondaY,maRcH4,1861Fellow-citizensoftheUnitedStates:incompliancewithacustomasoldastheGovernmentitself,iappearbeforeyoutoaddressyoubrieflyandtotakeinyourpresencetheoathprescribedbytheconstitutionoftheUnitedStatestobetakenbythePresidentbeforeheentersontheexecutionofthisoffice."idonotconsideritnecessaryatpresentformetodiscussthosemattersofadministrationaboutwhichthereisnospecialanxietyorexcitement.apprehensionseemstoexistamongthepeopleoftheSouthernStatesthatbytheaccessionofaRepublicanadministrationtheirpropertyandtheirpeaceandpersonalsecurityaretobeendangered.

Therehasneverbeenanyreasonablecauseforsuchapprehension.indeed,themostampleevidencetothecontraryhasallthewhileexistedandbeenopentotheirinspection.itisfoundinnearlyallthepublishedspeechesofhimwhonowaddressesyou.idobutquotefromoneofthosespeecheswhenideclarethat--ihavenopurpose,directlyorindirectly,tointerferewiththeinstitutionofslaveryintheStateswhereitexists.ibelieveihavenolawfulrighttodoso,andihavenoinclinationtodoso.Thosewhonominatedandelectedmedidsowithfullknowledgethatihadmadethisandmanysimilardeclarationsandhadneverrecantedthem;andmorethanthis,theyplacedintheplatformformyacceptance,andasalawtothemselvesandtome,theclearandemphaticresolutionwhichinowread:Resolved,ThatthemaintenanceinviolateoftherightsoftheStates,andespeciallytherightofeachStatetoorderandcontrolitsowndomesticinstitutionsaccordingtoitsownjudgmentexclusively,isessentialtothatbalanceofpoweronwhichtheperfectionandenduranceofourpoliticalfabricdepend;andwedenouncethelawlessinvasionbyarmedforceofthesoilofanyStateorTerritory,nomatterwhatpretext,asamongthegravestofcrimes.

inowreiteratethesesentiments,andindoingsoionlypressuponthepublicattentionthemostconclusiveevidenceofwhichthecaseissusceptiblethattheproperty,peace,andsecurityofnosectionaretobeinanywiseendangeredbythenowincomingadministration.iadd,too,thatalltheprotectionwhich,consistentlywiththeconstitutionandthelaws,canbegivenwillbecheerfullygiventoalltheStateswhenlawfullydemanded,forwhatevercause--ascheerfullytoonesectionastoanother.Thereismuchcontroversyaboutthedeliveringupoffugitivesfromserviceorlabor.Theclauseinowreadisasplainlywrittenintheconstitutionasanyotherofitsprovisions:nopersonheldtoserviceorlaborinoneState,underthelawsthereof,escapingintoanother,shallinconsequenceofanylaworregulationthereinbedischargedfromsuchserviceorlabor,butshallbedelivereduponclaimofthepartytowhomsuchserviceorlabormaybedue.itisscarcelyquestionedthatthisprovisionwasintendedbythosewhomadeitforthereclaimingofwhatwecallfugitiveslaves;andtheintentionofthelawgiveristhelaw.allmembersofcongresssweartheirsupporttothewholeconstitution--tothisprovisionasmuchastoanyother.Totheproposition,then,thatslaveswhosecasescomewithinthetermsofthisclause"shallbedeliveredup"theiroathsareunanimous.now,iftheywouldmaketheeffortingoodtemper,couldtheynotwithnearlyequal

unanimityframeandpassalawbymeansofwhichtokeepgoodthatunanimousoath?ThereissomedifferenceofopinionwhetherthisclauseshouldbeenforcedbynationalorbyStateauthority,butsurelythatdifferenceisnotaverymaterialone.iftheslaveistobesurrendered,itcanbeofbutlittleconsequencetohimortoothersbywhichauthorityitisdone.andshouldanyoneinanycasebecontentthathisoathshallgounkeptonamerelyunsubstantialcontroversyastohowitshallbekept?

again:inanylawuponthissubjectoughtnotallthesafeguardsoflibertyknownincivilizedandhumanejurisprudencetobeintroduced,sothatafreemanbenotinanycasesurrenderedasaslave?andmightitnotbewellatthesametimetoprovidebylawfortheenforcementofthatclauseintheconstitutionwhich

guaranteesthat"thecitizensofeachStateshallbeentitledtoallprivilegesandimmunitiesofcitizensintheseveralStates"?itaketheofficialoathto-daywithnomentalreservationsandwithnopurposetoconstruetheconstitutionorlawsbyanyhypercriticalrules;andwhileidonotchoosenowtospecifyparticularactsofcongressaspropertobeenforced,idosuggestthatitwillbemuchsaferforall,bothinofficialandprivatestations,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstandunrepealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.itisseventy-twoyearssincethefirstinaugurationofaPresidentunderournationalconstitution.duringthatperiodfifteendifferentandgreatlydistinguishedcitizenshaveinsuccession

administeredtheexecutivebranchoftheGovernment.Theyhaveconducteditthroughmanyperils,andgenerallywithgreatsuccess.

Yet,withallthisscopeofprecedent,inowenteruponthesametaskforthebriefconstitutionaltermoffouryearsundergreatandpeculiardifficulty.adisruptionoftheFederalUnion,heretoforeonlymenaced,isnowformidably

attempted.iholdthatincontemplationofuniversallawandoftheconstitutiontheUnionoftheseStatesisperpetual.Perpetuityisimplied,ifnotexpressed,inthefundamentallawofallnationalgovernments.itissafetoassertthatnogovernmentpropereverhadaprovisioninitsorganiclawforitsowntermination.continuetoexecutealltheexpressprovisionsofournationalconstitution,andtheUnionwillendureforever,itbeingimpossibletodestroyitexceptbysomeactionnotprovidedforintheinstrumentitself.again:iftheUnitedStatesbenotagovernmentproper,butanassociationofStatesinthenatureofcontractmerely,canit,asacontract,bepeaceablyunmadebylessthanallthepartieswhomadeit?onepartytoacontractmayviolateit--breakit,sotospeak--butdoesitnotrequirealltolawfullyrescindit?descendingfromthesegeneralprinciples,wefindthepropositionthatinlegalcontemplationtheUnionisperpetualconfirmedbythehistoryoftheUnionitself.TheUnionismucholderthantheconstitution.