美国总统林肯精选演讲稿Word格式.docx

美国总统林肯精选演讲稿Word格式.docx

《美国总统林肯精选演讲稿Word格式.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《美国总统林肯精选演讲稿Word格式.docx（6页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

　　March4th1861

　　Speech：

　　IncompliancewithacustomasoldastheGovernmentitself,IappearbeforeyoutoaddressyoubrieflyandtotakeinyourpresencetheoathprescribedbytheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatestobetakenbythePresident“beforeheentersontheexecutionofthisoffice.”

　　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,andindoingsoIonlypressuponthepublicattentionthemostconclusiveevidenceofwhichthecaseis

　　susceptiblethattheproperty,peace,andsecurityofnosectionaretobeinanywiseendangeredbythenowincomingAdministration.Iadd,too,thatalltheprotectionwhich,consistentlywiththeConstitutionandthelaws,canbegivenwillbecheerfullygiventoalltheStateswhenlawfullydemanded,forwhatevercause-ascheerfullytoonesectionastoanother.

　　Thereismuchcontroversyaboutthedeliveringupoffugitivesfromserviceorlabour.TheclauseInowreadisasplainlywrittenintheConstitutionasanyotherofitsprovisions:

　　NopersonheldtoserviceorlabourinoneState,underthelawsthereof,escapingintoanother,shallinconsequenceofanylaworregulationthereinbedischargedfromsuchserviceorlabour,butshallbedelivereduponclaimofthepartytowhomsuchserviceorlabourmaybedue.

　　Itisscarcelyquestionedthatthisprovisionwasintendedbythosewhomadeitforthereclaimingofwhatwecallfugitiveslaves;

andtheintentionofthelawgiveristhelaw.AllmembersofCongresssweartheirsupporttothewholeConstitution-tothisprovisionasmuchastoanyother.Totheproposition,then,thatslaveswhosecasescomewithinthetermsofthisclause“shallbedeliveredup”theiroathsareunanimous.Now,iftheywouldmaketheeffortingoodtemper,couldtheynotwithnearlyequalunanimityframeandpassalawbymeansofwhichtokeepgoodthatunanimousoath

　　ThereissomedifferenceofopinionwhetherthisclauseshouldbeenforcedbynationalorbyStateauthority,butsurelythatdifferenceisnotaverymaterialone.Iftheslaveistobesurrendered,itcanbeofbutlittleconsequencetohimortoothersbywhichauthorityitisdone.Andshouldanyoneinanycasebecontentthathisoathshallgoun-keptonamerelyunsubstantialcontroversyastohowitshallbekept

　　Again:

Inanylawuponthissubjectoughtnotallthesafeguardsoflibertyknownincivilizedandhumanejurisprudencetobeintroduced,sothatafreemanbenotinanycasesurrenderedasaslaveAndmightitnotbewellatthesametimetoprovidebylawfortheenforcementofthatclauseintheConstitutionwhichguaranteesthat“thecitizensofeachStateshallbeentitledtoallprivilegesandimmunitiesofcitizensintheseveralStates”

　　Itaketheofficialoathto-daywithnomentalreservationsandwithnopurposetoconstruetheConstitutionorlawsbyanyhypercriticalrules;

andwhileIdonotchoosenowtospecifyparticularactsofCongressaspropertobeenforced,Idosuggestthatitwillbemuchsaferforall,

　　bothinofficialandprivatestations,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstandun-repealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.

　　Itisseventy-twoyearssincethefirstinaugurationofaPresidentunderourNationalConstitution.DuringthatperiodfifteendifferentandgreatlydistinguishedcitizenshaveinsuccessionadministeredtheexecutivebranchoftheGovernment.Theyhaveconducteditthroughmanyperils,andgenerallywithgreatsuccess.Yet,withallthisscopeofprecedent,Inowenteruponthesametaskforthebriefconstitutionaltermoffouryearsundergreatandpeculiardifficulty.AdisruptionoftheFederalUnion,heretoforeonlymenaced,isnowformidablyattempted.Top

　　IholdthatincontemplationofuniversallawandoftheConstitutiontheUnionoftheseStatesisperpetual.Perpetuityisimplied,ifnotexpressed,inthefundamentallawofallnationalgovernments.Itissafetoassertthatnogovernmentpropereverhadaprovisioninitsorganiclawforitsowntermination.ContinuetoexecutealltheexpressprovisionsofourNationalConstitution,andtheUnionwillendureforever,itbeingimpossibletodestroyitexceptbysomeactionnotprovidedforintheinstrumentitself.

IftheUnitedStatesbenotagovernmentproper,butanassociationofStatesinthenatureofcontractmerely,canit,asacontract,bepeaceablyunmadebylessthanallthepartieswhomadeitOnepartytoacontractmayviolateit-breakit,sotospeak-butdoesitnotrequirealltolawfullyrescindit

　　Descendingfromthesegeneralprinciples,wefindthepropositionthatinlegalcontemplationtheUnionisperpetualconfirmedbythehistoryoftheUnionitself.TheUnionismucholderthantheConstitution.Itwasformed,infact,bytheArticlesofAssociationin1774.ItwasmaturedandcontinuedbytheDeclarationofIndependencein1776.Itwasfurthermatured,andthefaithofallthethenthirteenStatesexpresslyplightedandengagedthatitshouldbeperpetual,bytheArticlesofConfederationin1778.Andfinally,in1787,oneofthedeclaredobjectsforordainingandestablishingtheConstitutionwas“toformamoreperfectUnion.”

　　ButifdestructionoftheUnionbyoneorbyapartonlyoftheStatesbelawfullypossible,theUnionislessperfectthanbeforetheConstitution,havinglostthevitalelementofperpetuity.

　　ItfollowsfromtheseviewsthatnoStateuponitsownmeremotioncan

　　lawfullygetoutoftheUnion;

thatresolvesandordinancestothateffectarelegallyvoid,andthatactsofviolencewithinanyStateorStatesagainsttheauthorityoftheUnitedStatesareinsurrectionaryorrevolutionary,accordingtocircumstances.

　　IthereforeconsiderthatinviewoftheConstitutionandthelawstheUnionisunbroken,andtotheextentofmyability,Ishalltakecare,astheConstitutionitselfexpresslyenjoinsuponme,thatthelawsoftheUnionbefaithfullyexecutedinalltheStates.DoingthisIdeemtobeonlyasimpledutyonmypart,andIshallperformitsofaraspracticableunlessmyrightfulmasters,theAmericanpeople,shallwithholdtherequisitemeansorinsomeauthoritativemannerdirectthecontrary.Itrustthiswillnotberegardedasamenace,butonlyasthedeclaredpurposeoftheUnionthatitwillconstitutionallydefendandmaintainitself.

　　Indoingthisthereneedstobenobloodshedorviolence,andthereshallbenoneunlessitbeforceduponthenationalauthority.Thep

　　owerconfidedtomewillbeusedtohold,occupy,andpossessthepropertyandplacesbelongingtotheGovernmentandtocollectthedutiesandimposts;

butbeyondwhatmaybenecessaryfortheseobjects,therewillbenoinvasion,nousingofforceagainstoramongthepeopleanywhere.WherehostilitytotheUnitedStatesinanyinteriorlocalityshallbesogreatanduniversalastopreventcompetentresidentcitizensfromholdingtheFederaloffices,therewillbenoattempttoforceobnoxiousstrangersamongthepeopleforthatobject.WhilethestrictlegalrightmayexistintheGovernmenttoenforcetheexerciseoftheseoffices,theattempttodosowouldbesoirritatingandsonearlyimpracticablewithalthatIdeemitbettertoforegoforthetimetheusesofsuchoffices.Top

　　Themails,unlessrepelled,willcontinuetobefurnishedinallpartsoftheUnion.Sofaraspossiblethepeopleeverywhereshallhavethatsenseofperfectsecuritywhichismostfavourabletocalmthoughtandreflection.Thecoursehereindicatedwillbefollowedunlesscurrenteventsandexperienceshallshowamodificationorchangetobeproper,andineverycaseandexigencymybestdiscretionwillbeexercised,accordingtocircumstancesactuallyexistingandwithaviewandahopeofapeacefulsolutionofthenationaltroublesandtherestorationoffraternalsympathiesandaffections.

　　ThattherearepersonsinonesectionoranotherwhoseektodestroytheUnionatalleventsandaregladofanypretexttodoitIwillneitheraffirmnordeny;

butiftherebesuch,Ineedaddressnowordtothem.