林肯就职演讲稿.docx

林肯就职演讲稿.docx

《林肯就职演讲稿.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《林肯就职演讲稿.docx（11页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

林肯就职演讲稿

林肯就职演讲稿

　　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,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstanduepealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.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.

　　Itwasformed,infact,bytheArticlesofAssociationin1774.ItwasmaturedandcontinuedbytheDeclarationofIndependencein1776.Itwasfurthermatured,andthefaithofallthethenthirteenStatesexpresslyplightedandengagedthatitshouldbeperpetual,bytheArticlesofConfederationin1778.Andfinally,in1787,oneofthedeclaredobjectsforordainingandestablishingtheConstitutionwas“toformamoreperfectUnion.”ButifdestructionoftheUnionbyoneorbyapartonlyoftheStatesbelawfullypossible,theUnionislessperfectthanbeforetheConstitution,havinglostthevitalelementofperpetuity.ItfollowsfromtheseviewsthatnoStateuponitsownmeremotioncanlawfullygetoutoftheUnion;thatresolvesandordinancestothat

　　effectarelegallyvoid,andthatactsofviolencewithinanyStateorStatesagainsttheauthorityoftheUnitedStatesareinsurrectionaryorrevolutionary,accordingtocircumstances.IthereforeconsiderthatinviewoftheConstitutionandthelawstheUnionisunbroken,andtotheextentofmyability,Ishalltakecare,astheConstitutionitselfexpresslyenjoinsuponme,thatthelawsoftheUnionbefaithfullyexecutedinalltheStates.DoingthisIdeemtobeonlyasimpledutyonmypart,andIshallperformitsofaraspracticableunlessmyrightfulmasters,theAmericanpeople,shallwithholdtherequisitemeansorinsomeauthoritativemannerdirectthecontrary.Itrustthiswillnotberegardedasamenace,butonlyasthedeclaredpurposeoftheUnionthatitwillconstitutionallydefendandmaintainitself.Indoingthisthereneedstobenobloodshedorviolence,andthereshallbenoneunlessitbeforceduponthenationalauthority.Thepowerconfidedtomewillbeusedtohold,occupy,andpossessthepropertyandplacesbelongingtotheGovernmentandtocollectthedutiesandimposts;butbeyondwhatmaybenecessaryfortheseobjects,therewillbenoinvasion,nousingofforceagainstoramongthepeopleanywhere.WherehostilitytotheUnitedStatesinanyinteriorlocalityshallbesogreatanduniversalastopreventcompetentresidentcitizensfromholdingtheFederaloffices,therewillbenoattempttoforceobnoxiousstrangersamongthepeopleforthatobject.WhilethestrictlegalrightmayexistintheGovernmenttoenforcetheexerciseoftheseoffices,theattempttodosowouldbesoirritatingandsonearlyimpracticablewithalthatIdeemitbettertoforegoforthetimetheusesofsuchoffices.Themails,unlessrepelled,willcontinuetobefurnishedinallpartsoftheUnion.Sofaraspossiblethepeopleeverywhereshallhavethatsenseofperfectsecuritywhichismostfavorabletocalmthoughtandreflection.Thecoursehereindicatedwillbefollowedunlesscurrenteventsandexperienceshallshowamodificationorchangetobeproper,andineverycaseandexigencymybestdiscretionwillbeexercised,accordingtocircumstancesactuallyexistingandwithaviewandahopeofapeacefulsolutionofthenationaltroublesandtherestorationoffraternalsympathiesandaffections.ThattherearepersonsinonesectionoranotherwhoseektodestroytheUnionatalleventsandaregladofanypretexttodoitIwillneitheraffirmnordeny;butiftherebesuch,Ineedaddr