林肯第一次就职演讲稿中英文Word下载.docx

林肯第一次就职演讲稿中英文Word下载.docx

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Fellow-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,couldtheynotwithnearlyequalunanimityframeandpassalawbymeansofwhichtokeepgoodthatunanimousoath?

ThereissomedifferenceofopinionwhetherthisclauseshouldbeenforcedbynationalorbyStateauthority,butsurelythatdifferenceisnotaverymaterialone.Iftheslaveistobesurrendered,itcanbeofbutlittleconsequencetohimortoothersbywhichauthorityitisdone.Andshouldanyoneinanycasebecontentthathisoathshallgounkeptonamerelyunsubstantialcontroversyastohowitshallbekept?

Again:

Inanylawuponthissubjectoughtnotallthesafeguardsoflibertyknownincivilizedandhumanejurisprudencetobeintroduced,sothatafreemanbenotinanycasesurrenderedasaslave?

AndmightitnotbewellatthesametimetoprovidebylawfortheenforcementofthatclauseintheConstitutionwhichguaranteesthat"

thecitizensofeachStateshallbeentitledtoallprivilegesandimmunitiesofcitizensintheseveralStates"

?

Itaketheofficialoathto-daywithnomentalreservationsandwithnopurposetoconstruetheConstitutionorlawsbyanyhypercriticalrules;

andwhileIdonotchoosenowtospecifyparticularactsofCongressaspropertobeenforced,Idosuggestthatitwillbemuchsaferforall,bothinofficialandprivatestations,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstandunrepealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.Itisseventy-twoyearssincethefirstinaugurationofaPresidentunderourNationalConstitution.DuringthatperiodfifteendifferentandgreatlydistinguishedcitizenshaveinsuccessionadministeredtheexecutivebranchoftheGovernment.Theyhaveconducteditthroughmanyperils,andgenerallywithgreatsuccess.

Yet,withallthisscopeofprecedent,Inowenteruponthesametaskforthebriefconstitutionaltermoffouryearsundergreatandpeculiardifficulty.AdisruptionoftheFederalUnion,heretoforeonlymenaced,isnowformidablyattempted.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;

thatresolvesandordinancestothateffectarelegallyvoid,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,Ineedaddressnowordtothem.Tothose,however,who