总统就职演说:美国11任总统詹姆斯·诺克斯·波尔克就职演讲(1)
and the hand is free to accomplish whatever the head conceives not incompatible with the rights of a fellow being.
而且只要头脑可以想出的与同胞权利不相违的主意，都可以自由地去实现它。
All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished.
所有出生和阶级的区别被消除了。
All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection.
所有人都享有平等的权利和平等的保护。
No union exists between church and state,and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds.
教会和政府之间不存在联合，保证所有的教派和信条都享有完全的观点自由。
These are some of the blessings secured to our happy land by Federal Union.
这是由我们联邦联盟为我们幸福土地所保障的一些祝福。
To perpetuate them it is our sacred duty to preserve it.
我们神圣的职责是维护他并使之永久。
Who shall assign limits to the achievements of free minds and free hands under the protection of this glorious Union.
在这样的伟大联盟的保护下，有谁会限制自由思想和自由之手的创造呢？
No treason to mankind since the organization of society would be equal in atrocity to that of him who would lift his hand to destory it.
自从社会有组织以来，没有谁对人类的背叛在凶残上可等同某人举起其手试图破坏我们联盟的行为。
He would overthrow the noblest structure of human wisdom ,which protects himself and his fellow man.
那就是要推翻智慧组织，保护他和他的同胞的最高贵的人类，
He would stop the progress of free government and involve his country either in anarchy or despotism.
那就是要阻止自由政府的前进，并把其国家带入混乱和暴政中。
He would extinguish the fire of liberty,which warms and animates the hearts of happy millions,
那就是要熄灭那温暖并启动幸福大众之心的，
and invites all the nations of the earth to imitate our example.
吸引世上各国模仿我们的自由之火。
If he say that error and wrong are committed in the administration of the Government,
如果那人说政府的执政犯有错误，
let him remember that nothing human can be perfect,
让他记住人不可能完美，
and that under no other system of government revealed by Heaven or devised by man has reason been allowed so free and broad a scope to combat error.
并且没有任何其它上天或人类创立的政府体制能象我们的那样，给理性以如此自由和宽阔的范围来和错误斗争。
Has the sword of despots proved to be a safer or surer instrument of reform in government than enlightened reason?
难道暴君的刀剑比启蒙的理智更能成为政府改革中安全，可靠的手段？
Does he expect to find among the ruins of this Union a happier abode for our swarming millions than they now have under it?
他是否期望在联邦的废墟之中，为我们的百万人群找到比他们现在更幸福的住所？
Every lover of his country must shudder at the thought of the possibility of its dissolution,
每一个爱国都会因面对可能解散联邦的思想而战栗，
and will be ready to adopt the patriotic sentiment,"Our Federal Union it must be preserved."
并准备好接受那爱国的情感：“必须维护我们的联邦联盟。”
To preserve it the compromises which alone enabled our fathers to form a common constitution for the government,and protection of so many States and distinct communities,
在维护它时，我们必须神圣地，虔诚地遵守那曾使得我们的先驱们能够成立一个政府的共同宪法，
of such diversified habits,interests,and domestic institutions,must be sacredly and religiously observed.
能够保护如此众多的州和有如此多样的风俗，利益，和内务组织的偏远社区的妥协。
Any attempt to disturb or destroy these compromises,being terms of the compact of union,
任何试图扰乱和破坏这些作为联邦契约条件的妥协，
can lead to none other than the most ruinous and disastrous consequences.
必会导致最具毁坏性和灾难性的后果。
I am happy to believe that at every period of our existence as a nation there has existed,
我很高兴相信在我们作为一个民族生存的每一个时期，在人民大众中已经存在，
and continues to exist,among the great mass of our people a devotion to the Union of the States which will shield,and protect it
并将继续存在着对众洲联盟的热爱；
against the moral treason of any who would seriously contemplate its destruction.
这将针对任何想阴谋破坏它的道德叛逆而来保护它。
To secure a continuance of that devotion the compromises of the Constitution must not only be preserved,
要保证这种热爱的继续，不仅要维护宪法中的妥协，
but sectional jealousies and heartburnings must be discountenanced,
也要反对派系妒忌和不满；
and all should remember that they are members of the same political family,having a common destiny.
所有人都应该记住他们是同一政治家庭中的一员，有着共同的命运。
To increase the attachment of our people to the Union,our laws should be just.
要加强人民对联盟的归属，我们的法律必须公正。
Any policy which shall tend to favor monopolies or the peculiar interests of sections or classes must operate to the prejudice of the interest of their fellow citizens,
任何旨在偏向派系或阶级的垄断或特别利益，对其同胞利益有伤害的政策，
and should be avoided.If the compromises of the Constitution be preserved,
都应该被避免。如果维护了宪法的妥协，
if sectional jealousies and heartburnings be discountenanced,
如果排除了派系的妒忌和不满，
If our laws be just and the Government be practically administered strictly within the limits of power prescribed to it,
如果我们的法律是公正的并且政府严格在其所属职权范围内执政实践，
we may discard all apprehensions for the safety of the Union.
我们可以丢掉所有关于联盟安全的忧虑。
詹姆斯·波尔克是安德鲁·杰克逊的忠实门徒，有小山核桃之称，他在1844年大选成僵局时，异军突起，成为第一个黑马总统。在短短的四年任期内，完成了对选民的四大承诺：降低关税；恢复独立国库制；解决俄勒冈边界问题；取得加利福尼亚地区。把美国领土向北扩张到北纬49°线，向西扩张到太平洋，向南几乎兼并了墨西哥一半领土，今天美国领土的1/4是他取得的，他每天工作18小时以上，而且没有休闲活动，以至于未老先衰，离开白宫三个月就病逝了，他被历史学家评为美国最勤奋最有效率的总统。1844 年大选时，民主党内最初提名马丁·范布伦的呼声最大。但当时以罗伯特·沃尔克为首的一批南方代表和民主党人，要范布伦事先明确表示当选后同意得克萨斯与美国合并。范布伦公开宣布反对合并，于是失去了南部和西部代表的支持。
南部代表所以提出这个问题，是因为当时得克萨斯实行奴隶制度，而它的土壤又适宜于种植棉花，因而，并吞得克萨斯一直是南部奴隶主梦寐以求的事。南部奴隶主还想把奴隶制移植或扩展到美国当时新开辟的西部领土，以便使用更多奴隶来开辟新种植园，扩大种植那些使南部地力消耗很快的棉花、烟草、甘蔗等农作物。正如马克思所指出的：“不断扩张领土，不断扩展奴隶制到旧有界限之外，却是联邦蓄奴州的生存规律。”北部工业资本家则希望开辟广大西部地区使之成为非蓄奴制地区，以作为工业资本的“农业后方”。经济基础不同的南北两种势力，在争夺西部领土的控制权上，不断发生冲突和斗争，得克萨斯的合并问题是当时的焦点之一。
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