WhattoslaveistheFourthofJuly反奴隶制道格拉斯Word文件下载.docx

WhattoslaveistheFourthofJuly反奴隶制道格拉斯Word文件下载.docx

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WhattoslaveistheFourthofJuly反奴隶制道格拉斯@#@WhattotheSlaveistheFourthofJuly?

@#@@#@FrederickDouglass@#@July5,1852@#@Mr.President,FriendsandFellowCitizens:

@#@Hewhocouldaddressthisaudiencewithoutaquailingsensation,hasstrongernervesthanIhave.Idonotrememberevertohaveappearedasaspeakerbeforeanyassemblymoreshrinkingly,norwithgreaterdistrustofmyability,thanIdothisday.Afeelinghascreptoverme,quiteunfavorabletotheexerciseofmylimitedpowersofspeech.Thetaskbeforemeisonewhichrequiresmuchpreviousthoughtandstudyforitsproperperformance.Iknowthatapologiesofthissortaregenerallyconsideredflatandunmeaning.Itrust,however,thatminewillnotbesoconsidered.ShouldIseematease,myappearancewouldmuchmisrepresentme.ThelittleexperienceIhavehadinaddressingpublicmeetings,incountryschoolhouses,availsmenothingonthepresentoccasion.@#@Thepapersandplacardssay,thatIamtodelivera4th[of]Julyoration.Thiscertainlysoundslarge,andoutofthecommonway,foritistruethatIhaveoftenhadtheprivilegetospeakinthisbeautifulHall,andtoaddressmanywhonowhonormewiththeirpresence.Butneithertheirfamiliarfaces,northeperfectgageIthinkIhaveofCorinthianHall,seemstofreemefromembarrassment.@#@Thefactis,ladiesandgentlemen,thedistancebetweenthisplatformandtheslaveplantation,fromwhichIescaped,isconsiderable—andthedifficultiestobeovercomeingettingfromthelattertotheformer,arebynomeansslight.ThatIamhereto-dayis,tome,amatterofastonishmentaswellasofgratitude.Youwillnot,therefore,besurprised,ifinwhatIhavetosay.Ievincenoelaboratepreparation,norgracemyspeechwithanyhighsoundingexordium.Withlittleexperienceandwithlesslearning,Ihavebeenabletothrowmythoughtshastilyandimperfectlytogether;@#@andtrustingtoyourpatientandgenerousindulgence,Iwillproceedtolaythembeforeyou.@#@This,forthepurposeofthiscelebration,isthe4thofJuly.ItisthebirthdayofyourNationalIndependence,andofyourpoliticalfreedom.This,toyou,iswhatthePassoverwastotheemancipatedpeopleofGod.Itcarriesyourmindsbacktotheday,andtotheactofyourgreatdeliverance;@#@andtothesigns,andtothewonders,associatedwiththatact,andthatday.Thiscelebrationalsomarksthebeginningofanotheryearofyournationallife;@#@andremindsyouthattheRepublicofAmericaisnow76yearsold.Iamglad,fellow-citizens,thatyournationissoyoung.Seventy-sixyears,thoughagoodoldageforaman,isbutamerespeckinthelifeofanation.Threescoreyearsandtenistheallottedtimeforindividualmen;@#@butnationsnumbertheiryearsbythousands.Accordingtothisfact,youare,evennow,onlyinthebeginningofyournationalcareer,stilllingeringintheperiodofchildhood.Irepeat,Iamgladthisisso.Thereishopeinthethought,andhopeismuchneeded,underthedarkcloudswhichlowerabovethehorizon.Theeyeofthereformerismetwithangryflashes,portendingdisastroustimes;@#@buthisheartmaywellbeatlighteratthethoughtthatAmericaisyoung,andthatsheisstillintheimpressiblestageofherexistence.Mayhenothopethathighlessonsofwisdom,ofjusticeandoftruth,willyetgivedirectiontoherdestiny?

@#@Werethenationolder,thepatriot’sheartmightbesadder,andthereformer’sbrowheavier.Itsfuturemightbeshroudedingloom,andthehopeofitsprophetsgooutinsorrow.ThereisconsolationinthethoughtthatAmericaisyoung.Greatstreamsarenoteasilyturnedfromchannels,worndeepinthecourseofages.Theymaysometimesriseinquietandstatelymajesty,andinundatetheland,refreshingandfertilizingtheearthwiththeirmysteriousproperties.Theymayalsoriseinwrathandfury,andbearaway,ontheirangrywaves,theaccumulatedwealthofyearsoftoilandhardship.They,however,graduallyflowbacktothesameoldchannel,andflowonasserenelyasever.But,whiletherivermaynotbeturnedaside,itmaydryup,andleavenothingbehindbutthewitheredbranch,andtheunsightlyrock,tohowlintheabyss-sweepingwind,thesadtaleofdepartedglory.Aswithriverssowithnations.@#@Fellow-citizens,Ishallnotpresumetodwellatlengthontheassociationsthatclusteraboutthisday.Thesimplestoryofitisthat,76yearsago,thepeopleofthiscountrywereBritishsubjects.Thestyleandtitleofyour"@#@sovereignpeople"@#@（inwhichyounowglory）wasnotthenborn.YouwereundertheBritishCrown.YourfathersesteemedtheEnglishGovernmentasthehomegovernment;@#@andEnglandasthefatherland.Thishomegovernment,youknow,althoughaconsiderabledistancefromyourhome,did,intheexerciseofitsparentalprerogatives,imposeuponitscolonialchildren,suchrestraints,burdensandlimitations,as,initsmatu