总统就职演说:美国16任总统亚伯拉罕·林肯第一次就职演讲(1)
Fellow-Citizens of the United States:in compliance with a custom as old as the Government itself,
按照一个和我们的政府一样古老的习惯，
I appear before you to address you briefly and to take in your presence the oath prescribed
我现在来到诸位的面前，简单地讲几句话，并在你们的面前，
by the Constitution of the United States to be taken by the President "before he enters on the execution of this office."
遵照合众国宪法规定一个总统在他“到职视事之前”必须宣誓的仪式，在大家面前宣誓。
I do not consider it necessary at present for me to discuss those matters of administration about which there is no special anxiety or excitement.
我认为没有必要在这里来讨论并不特别令人忧虑和不安的行政方面的问题。
Apprehension seems to exist among the people of the Southern States that by the accession of a Republican Administration
在南方各州人民中似乎存在着一种恐惧心理。他们认为，随着共和党政府的执政，
their property and their peace and personal security are to be endangered.
他们的财产，他们的和平生活和人身安全都将遭到危险。
There has never been any reasonable cause for such apprehension.
这种恐惧是从来没有任何事实根据的。
Indeed, the most ample evidence to the contrary has all the while existed and been open to their inspection.
说实在的，大量相反的证据倒是一直存在，并随时可以供他们检查的。
It is found in nearly all the published speeches of him who now addresses you.
那种证据几乎在现在对你们讲话的这个人公开发表的每一篇演说中都能找到。
I do but quote from one of those speeches when I declare that I have no purpose, directly or indirectly,
这里我只想引用其中的一篇，在那篇演说中我曾说，“我完全无意，
to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists.
对已经存在奴隶制的各州的这一制度，进行直接或间接的干涉。
I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.
我深信我根本没有合法权利那样做，而且我无此意图。
Those who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this and many similar declarations and had never recanted them;
”那些提名我并选举我的人都完全知道，我曾明确这么讲过，并且还讲过许多类似的话，而且从来也没有收回过我已讲过的这些话。
and more than this, they placed in the platform for my acceptance, and as a law to themselves and to me, the clear and emphatic resolution which I now read:
不仅如此，他们还在纲领中，写进了对他们和对我来说，都具有法律效力的一项清楚明白、不容含糊的决议让我接受,这里我来对大家谈谈这一决议：
Resolved, That the maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, and especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions
决议，保持各州的各种权利不受侵犯，特别是各州完全凭自己的决断来安排和控制本州内部各种制度的权利不受侵犯,
according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabric depend;
乃是我们的政治结构赖以完善和得以持久的权力均衡的至为重要的因素；
and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, no matter what pretext, as among the gravest of crimes.
我们谴责使用武装力量非法入侵任何一个州或准州的土地，这种入侵不论使用什么借口，都是最严重的罪行。”
I now reiterate these sentiments, and in doing so I only press upon the public attention the most conclusive evidence of which the case is susceptible that the property, peace,
我现在重申这些观点：而在这样做的时候，我只想提请公众注意，最能对这一点提出确切证据的那就是全国任何一个地方的财产、
and security of no section are to be in any wise endangered by the now incoming Administration.
和平生活和人身安全决不会在任何情况下，由于即将上任的政府而遭到危险。
I add, too, that all the protection which, consistently with the Constitution and the laws, can be given will be cheerfully given to all the States when lawfully demanded,
这里我还要补充说，各州只要符合宪法和法律规定，合法地提出保护要求，政府便一定会乐于给予保护,
for whatever cause—as cheerfully to one section as to another.
不管是出于什么原因一一而且对任何一个地方都一视同仁。
There is much controversy about the delivering up of fugitives from service or labor.
有一个争论得很多的问题是，关于逃避服务或引渡从劳役中逃走的人的问题。
The clause I now read is as plainly written in the Constitution as any other of its provisions:
我现在要宣读的条文，也和任何有关其它问题的条款一样，明明白白写在宪法之中：
No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws thereof, escaping into another,
“凡根据一个州的法律应在该州于服务或从事劳役的人，如逃到另一州，
shall in consequence of any law or regulation therein be discharged from such service or labor,
一律不得按照这一州的法律或条例，使其解除该项服务或劳役，
亚伯拉罕·林肯（Abraham Lincoln，1809年2月12日－1865年4月15日），美国政治家、思想家，黑人奴隶制的废除者。第16任美国总统，其任总统期间，美国爆发内战，史称南北战争，林肯坚决反对国家分裂。
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