美国历届总统就职演说词CalvinCoolidge.docx

美国历届总统就职演说词CalvinCoolidge.docx

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美国历届总统就职演说词CalvinCoolidge

美国历届总统就职演说词（-Calvin-Coolidge）

InauguralAddressofCalvinCoolidge

WEDNESDAY,MARCH4,1925

MyCountrymen:

Noonecancontemplatecurrentconditionswithoutfindingmuchthatissatisfyingandstillmorethatisencouraging.Ourowncountryisleadingtheworldinthegeneralreadjustmenttotheresultsofthegreatconflict.Manyofitsburdenswillbearheavilyuponusforyears,andthesecondaryandindirecteffectswemustexpecttoexperienceforsometime.Butwearebeginningtocomprehendmoredefinitelywhatcourseshouldbepursued,whatremediesoughttobeapplied,whatactionsshouldbetakenforourdeliverance,andareclearlymanifestingadeterminedwillfaithfullyandconscientiouslytoadoptthesemethodsofrelief.Alreadywehavesufficientlyrearrangedourdomesticaffairssothatconfidencehasreturned,businesshasrevived,andweappeartobeenteringaneraofprosperitywhichisgraduallyreachingintoeverypartoftheNation.Realizingthatwecannotliveuntoourselvesalone,wehavecontributedofourresourcesandourcounseltothereliefofthesufferingandthesettlementofthedisputesamongtheEuropeannations.BecauseofwhatAmericaisandwhatAmericahasdone,afirmercourage,ahigherhope,inspirestheheartofallhumanity.

Theseresultshavenotoccurredbymerechance.Theyhavebeensecuredbyaconstantandenlightenedeffortmarkedbymanysacrificesandextendingovermanygenerations.Wecannotcontinuethesebrilliantsuccessesinthefuture,unlesswecontinuetolearnfromthepast.Itisnecessarytokeeptheformerexperiencesofourcountrybothathomeandabroadcontinuallybeforeus,ifwearetohaveany

urgeoffreedomwebecameanindependentNation.Alittlelessthan50yearslaterthatfreedomandindependencewerereassertedinthefaceofalltheworld,andguarded,supported,andsecuredbytheMonroedoctrine.ThenarrowfringeofStatesalongtheAtlanticseaboardadvanceditsfrontiersacrossthehillsandplainsofaninterveningcontinentuntilitpasseddownthegoldenslopetothePacific.Wemadefreedomabirthright.Weextendedourdomainoverdistantislandsinordertosafeguardourowninterestsandacceptedtheconsequentobligationtobestowjusticeandlibertyuponlessfavoredpeoples.InthedefenseofourownidealsandinthegeneralcauseoflibertyweenteredtheGreatWar.Whenvictoryhadbeenfullysecured,wewithdrewtoourownshoresunrecompensedsaveintheconsciousnessofdutydone.

Throughoutalltheseexperienceswehaveenlargedourfreedom,wehavestrengthenedourindependence.Wehavebeen,andproposetobe,moreandmoreAmerican.Webelievethatwecanbestserveourowncountryandmostsuccessfullydischargeourobligationstohumanitybycontinuingtobeopenlyandcandidly,intenselyandscrupulously,American.Ifwehaveanyheritage,ithasbeenthat.Ifwehaveanydestiny,wehavefounditinthatdirection.

ButifwewishtocontinuetobedistinctivelyAmerican,wemustcontinuetomakethattermcomprehensiveenoughtoembracethelegitimatedesiresofacivilizedandenlightenedpeopledeterminedinalltheirrelationstopursueaconscientiousandreligiouslife.Wecannotpermitourselvestobenarrowedanddwarfedbyslogansandphrases.Itisnottheadjective,butthesubstantive,whichisofrealimportance.Itisnotthenameoftheaction,buttheresultoftheaction,whichisthechiefconcern.Itwillbewellnottobetoomuchdisturbedbythethoughtofeitherisolationorentanglementofpacifistsandmilitarists.ThephysicalconfigurationoftheearthhasseparatedusfromalloftheOldWorld,butthecommonbrotherhoodofman,thehighestlawofallourbeing,hasunitedusbyinseparablebondswithallhumanity.Ourcountryrepresentsnothingbutpeacefulintentionstowardalltheearth,butitoughtnottofailtomaintainsuchamilitaryforceascomportswiththedignityandsecurityofagreatpeople.Itoughttobeabalancedforce,intenselymodem,capableofdefensebyseaandland,beneaththesurfaceandintheair.Butitshouldbesoconductedthatalltheworldmayseeinit,notamenace,butaninstrumentofsecurityandpeace.

ThisNationbelievesthoroughlyinanhonorablepeaceunderwhichtherightsofitscitizensaretobeeverywhereprotected.Ithasneverfoundthatthenecessaryenjoymentofsuchapeacecouldbemaintainedonlybyagreatandthreateningarrayofarms.Incommonwithothernations,itisnowmoredeterminedthanevertopromotepeacethroughfriendlinessandgoodwill,throughmutualunderstandingsandmutualforbearance.Wehaveneverpracticedthepolicyofcompetitivearmaments.Wehaverecentlycommittedourselvesbycovenantswiththeothergreatnationstoalimitationofourseapower.Asoneresultofthis,ourNavyrankslarger,incomparison,thaniteverdidbefore.Removingtheburdenofexpenseandjealousy,whichmustalwaysaccruefromakeenrivalry,isoneofthemosteffectivemethodsofdiminishingthatunreasonablehysteriaandmisunderstandingwhicharethemostpotentmeansoffomentingwar.Thispolicyrepresentsanewdepartureintheworld.Itisathought,anideal,whichhasledtoanentirelynewlineofaction.Itwillnotbeeasytomaintain.Somenevermovedfromtheiroldpositions,someareconstantlyslippingbacktotheoldwaysofthoughtandtheoldactionofseizingamusketandrelyingonforce.Americahastakentheleadinthisnewdirection,andthatleadAmericamustcontinuetohold.Ifweexpectotherstorelyonourfairnessandjusticewemustshowthatwerelyontheirfairnessandjustice.

Ifwearetojudgebypastexperience,thereismuchtobehopedforininternationalrelationsfromfrequentconferencesandconsultations.WehavebeforeusthebeneficialresultsoftheWashingtonconferenceandthevariousconsultationsrecentlyhelduponEuropeanaffairs,someofwhichwereinresponsetooursuggestionsandinsomeofwhichwewereactiveparticipants.Eventhefailurescannotbutbeaccountedusefulandanimmeasurableadvanceoverthreatenedoractualwarfare.Iamstronglyinfavorofcontinuationofthispolicy,wheneverconditionsaresuchthatthereisevenapromisethatpracticalandfavorableresultsmightbesecured.

Inconformitywiththeprinciplethatadisplayofreasonratherthanathreatofforceshouldbethedeterminingfactorintheintercourseamongnations,wehavelongadvocatedthepeacefulsettlementofdisputesbymethodsofarbitrationandhavenegotiatedmanytreatiestosecurethatresult.ThesameconsiderationsshouldleadtoouradherencetothePermanentCourtofInternationalJustice.Wheregreatprinciplesareinvolved,wheregreatmovementsareunderwaywhichpromisemuchforthewelfareofhumanitybyreasonoftheveryfactthatmanyothernationshavegivensuchmovementstheiractualsupport,weoughtnottowithholdourownsanctionbecauseofanysmallandinessentialdifference,butonlyuponthegroundofthemostimportantandcompellingfundamentalreasons.Wecannotbarterawayourindependenceoroursovereignty,butweoughttoengageinnorefinementsoflogic,nosophistries,andnosubterfuges,toargueawaytheundoubteddutyofthiscountrybyreasonofthemightofitsnumbers,thepowerofitsresources,anditspositionofleadershipintheworld,activelyandcomprehensivelytosignifyitsapprovalandtobearitsfullshareoftheresponsibilityofacandidanddisinterestedattemptattheestablishmentofatribunalfortheadministrationofeven-handedjusticebetweennationandnation.Theweightofourenormousinfluencemustbecastuponthesideofareignnotofforcebutoflawandtrial,notbybattlebutbyreason.

Wehaveneveranywishtointerfereinthepoliticalconditionsofanyothercountries.EspeciallyarewedeterminednottobecomeimplicatedinthepoliticalcontroversiesoftheOldWorld.Withagreatdealofhesitation,wehaverespondedtoappealsforhelptomaintainorder,protectlifeandproperty,andestablishresponsiblegovernmentinsomeofthesmallcountriesoftheWesternHemisphere.OurprivatecitizenshaveadvancedlargesumsofmoneytoassistinthenecessaryfinancingandreliefoftheOldWorld.Wehavenotfailed,norshallwefailtorespond,whenevernecessarytomitigatehumansufferingandassistintherehabilitationofdistressednations.These,too,arerequirementswhichmustbemetbyreasonofourvastpowersandtheplaceweholdintheworld.

Someofthebestthoughtofmankindhaslongbeenseekingforaformulaforpermanentpeace.Undoubtedlytheclarificationoftheprinciplesofinternationallawwouldbehelpful,andtheeffortsofscholarstopreparesuchaworkforadoptionbythevariousnationsshouldhaveoursympathyandsupport.Muchmaybehopedforfromtheearneststudiesofthosewhoadvocatetheoutlawingofaggressivewar.Butalltheseplansandpreparations,thesetreatiesandcovenants,willnotofthemselvesbeadequate.Oneofthegreatestdangerstopeaceliesintheeconomicpressuretowhichpeoplefindthemselvessubjected.Oneofthemostpracticalthingstobedoneintheworldistoseekarrangementsunderwhichsuchpressuremayberemoved,sothatopportunitymayberenewedandhopemayberevived.Theremustbesomeassurancethateffortandendeavorwillbefollowedbysuccessandprosperity.Inthemakingandfinancingofsuchadjustmentsthereisnotonlyanopportunity,butarealduty,forAmericatorespondwithhercounselandherresources.Conditionsmustbeprovidedunderwhichpeoplecanmakealivingandworkoutoftheirdifficulties.Butthereisanotherelement,moreimportantthanall,withoutwhichtherecannotbetheslightesthopeofapermanent