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(7)
This is the only substantial dispute.
这是唯一的实质性的争执.
The fugitive-slave clause of the Constitution and the law for the suppression of the foreign slave trade are each as well enforced,perhaps,
宪法中有关逃亡奴隶的条款，以及制止对外奴隶贸易的法律，在一个人民的道德观念并不支持该法的，
as any law can ever be in a community where the moral sense of the people imperfectly supports the law itself.
社会里，它们的执行情况也许不次于任何一项法律所能达到的程度。
The great body of the people abide by the dry legal obligation in both cases, and a few break over in each.
在两种情况下，绝大多数的人都遵守枯燥乏味的法律义务，但又都有少数人不听那一套。
This, I think, can not be perfectly cured, and it would be worse in both cases after the separation of the sections than before.
关于这一点，我想，要彻底解决是根本不可能的；如果寸巴两个地区分离。以后，情况只会更坏。
The foreign slave trade, now imperfectly suppressed, would be ultimately revived without restriction in one section,
对外奴隶贸易现在并未能完全加以禁止，最后在一个地区中必将全面恢复；
while fugitive slaves, now only partially surrendered, would not be surrendered at all by the other.
对于逃亡奴隶，在另一个地区，现在送回的只是一部分，将来会完全不肯交出来了。
Physically speaking, we can not separate.
就自然条件而言，我们是不能分离的。
We can not remove our respective sections from each other nor build an impassable wall between them.
我们决不能把我们的各个地区相互搬开，也不可能在它们之间修建起一道无法逾越的高墙。
A husband and wife may be divorced and go out of the presence and beyond the reach of each other, but the different parts of our country can not do this.
一对夫妻可以离婚，各走各的路，彼此再不见面，但我们国家的各部分可无法这么办。
They can not but remain face to face, and intercourse, either amicable or hostile, must continue between them.
它们只能面对面相处，友好也罢，仇视也罢，他们仍必须彼此交往。
Is it possible, then, to make that intercourse more advantageous or more satisfactory after separation than before?
我们维道能有任何办法使得这种交往在分离之后，比分离：之前更为有利，更为令，人满意吗?
Can aliens make treaties easier than friends can make laws?
难道在外人之间订立条约，比在朋友之间制订法律还更为容易吗?
Can treaties be more faithfully enforced between aliens than laws can among friends?
难道在外人之间履行条约，比在朋友之间按法律办事还更忠实吗?
Suppose you go to war, you can not fight always; and when, after much loss on both sides and no gain on either, you cease fighting,
就算你们决定。诉诸战争，你们，总不能永远打下去吧；最后当两败俱伤而双方都一无所获时，你们停止战斗，
the identical old questions, as to terms of intercourse, are again upon you.
那时依照什么条件相互交往，这同一个老问题仍会照样摆在你们面前了。
This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.
这个国家，连同它的各种机构，都属于居住在这里的人民。
Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.
任何时候，他们对现存政府感到厌倦了，他们可以行使他们的宪法权利，改革这个政府，或者行使他们的革命权利解散它或者推翻它。
I can not be ignorant of the fact that many worthy and patriotic citizens are desirous of having the National Constitution amended.
我当然知道，现在就有许多尊贵的、爱国的公民极于想修订我们的宪法。
While I make no recommendation of amendments, I fully recognize the rightful authority of the people over the whole subject,
尽管我自己不会那么建议，我却也完全承认他们在这个问题上的合法权利，
to be exercised in either of the modes prescribed in the instrument itself;
承认他们可以按照宪法所规定的两种方式中的任何一种来行使这种权利；
and I should, under existing circumstances, favor rather than oppose a fair opportunity being afforded the people to act upon it.
而且，在目前情况下，我不但不反对，而倒是赞成给人民一个公正的机会让他们去行动。
I will venture to add that to me the convention mode seems preferable, in that it allows amendments to originate with the people themselves,
我还不禁要补充一点，在我看来，采取举行会议的方式似乎更好一些，这样可以使修订方案完全由人民自己提出，
instead of only permitting them to take or reject propositions originated by others, not especially chosen for the purpose,
而不是只让他们去接受或拒绝一些并非特别为此目的而选出的一些人提出的方案，
and which might not be precisely such as they would wish to either accept or refuse.
因为也可能那些方案恰恰并不是他们愿意接受或拒绝的。
I understand a proposed amendment to the Constitution—which amendment, however, I have not seen—has passed Congress,
我了解到现在已有人提出一项宪法修正案——这修正案我并没有看到，但在国会中已经通过了，
to the effect that the Federal Government shall never interfere with the domestic institutions of the States, including that of persons held to service.
大意说，联邦政府将永远不再干涉各州内部制度，包括那些应服劳役者的问题。
To avoid misconstruction of what I have said, I depart from my purpose not to speak of particular amendments so far as to say that,
为了使我讲的话不致被误解，我现在改变我不谈具体修正案的原来的打算，
holding such a provision to now be implied constitutional law, I have no objection to its being made express and irrevocable.
明确声明，这样一个条款，既然现在可能列入宪法，我不反对使它成为明确而不可改动的条文。
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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