总统就职演说:美国15任总统詹姆斯·布坎南就职演讲(1)
Fellow Citizens: I appear before you this day to take the solemn oath"that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve,protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
同胞们：我今天在你们面前庄严宣誓：“我将忠诚地执行美国总统的职务，并将尽我所能来维持，捍卫和守护美国的宪法。”
In entering upon this great office I must humbly invoke the God of our fathers for wisdom, and firmness to execute its high and responsible duties in such a manner as to restore harmony, and ancient friendship among the people of the several States and to preserve our free institution throughout many generations.
在担任这一伟大职务时我谦恭地祈求我们先驱上帝给予我智慧，支持以助我执行这高尚的责任，在各州的人民中重建和谐，和古老的友谊并千秋万代维护我们的自由组织。
Convinced that I owe my election to the inherent love for the Constitution and the Union which still animates the hearts of the American people, let me earnestly ask their powerful support in sustaining all just measures calculated to perpetuate these,the richest political blessings which Heaven has ever bestowed upon any nation.
深信我的当选应归功于热爱宪法和仍扣动美国人民心弦的联邦。让我诚恳地请求他们强有力的支持来维护所有正当的旨在使上天给予我们祖国的丰富政治祝福得以永远的措施。
Having determined not to become a candidate for reelection, I shall have no motive to influence my conduct in administering the Government except the desire ably, and faithfully to serve my country and to live in grateful memory of my countrymen.
我已决定不再竞选连任，我在除了要有效和无任何能影响我执行的动机。忠心地服务我的祖国并在同胞中留下美好记忆。
The whole Territorial question being thus settled upon the principle of popular sovereignty, a principle as ancient as free government itself everything of a practical nature has been decided.
整个领土问题在公众主权的原则下得以解决——一个和政府一样古老的原则——任何实际意义的事件都被解决了。
No other question remains for adjustment,because all agree that under the Constitution slavery in the States in beyond the reach of any human power, except that of the respective States themselves where in it exists.
没有其它问题等待修正，因为人们都认同在宪法下各州的奴隶制问题非任何人民力量所可及，除非由各州自身解决。
May we not,then,hope that the long agitation on this subject is approaching its end, and that the geographical parties to which it has given birth, so much dreaded by the Father of his Country,will speedily become extinct?
于是我们不可希望这长期骚动的问题正在终结，地理上的分裂会很快消除。也不可希望由它所造成的，会使我们的先父很痛恨的。
Most happy will it be for the country when the public mind shall be diverted from this question to other of more pressing and practical importance.
最可幸的是公众意识会从这一问题转向其它更紧要更现实的问题上。
Throughout the whole progress of this agitation, which has scarcely know any intermission for more than twenty years.
在整个过程中，这场二十多年内罕有间断的骚动的，
whilst it has been productive of no positive good to any human being it has been the prolific source of great evils to the master, to the slave,and to the whole country.
它对任何人没有产生任何善果，它却成了对主人、奴仆和整个国家造成万恶的源泉。
It has alienated and estranged the people of the sister States from each other, and has even seriously endangered the very existence of the Union.
它把兄弟州相互分离隔开，甚至严重危及联邦的生存。
Nor has the danger yet entirely ceased.
这危险至今尚未完全停止。
Under our system there is a remedy for all mere political evils in the sound sense and sober judgment of the people.
在我们的体制下，人民的坚实理智和清醒判断会造成对所有政治邪恶的拯救。
Time is a great corrective.
时间是最好的纠正。
Political subjects which but a few years ago excited and exasperated the public mind have passed away and are now nearly forgotten.
几年前还激动并恼怒公众意识的政治问题已经逝去，并被忘记。
But this question of domestic slavery is of far graver importance than any mere political question, because should the agitation continue it may eventually endanger the personal safety of a large portion of our countrymen where the institution exists.
但这一国内奴隶制的问题比一个仅仅政治上的问题更为重要。因为如果这场骚动继续下去，它可能会最终危及此体制所存在之处的我们同胞中一大部分的人身安全。
In that event no form of government,however admirable in itself and however productive of material benefits, can compensate for the loss of peace and domestic security around the family altar.
如果那样，不管是如何值得赞赏，如何生产出巨大物质财富的政府形式都，无法补偿和平和家庭安全的丧失。
詹姆斯·布坎南（James Buchanan ，1791年4月23日——1868年6月1日）是美国第15任总统，生于宾夕法尼亚州。布坎南出任总统时，正值美国处于历史上的一个重大关头。当时，南北双方在奴隶制问题上的斗争愈演愈烈。他尽管为避免南北分裂作过不少努力，但还是无力扭转局势，后来内战终于爆发。而他的继任者正是带领北方赢得战争，废除奴隶制的林肯总统。
1856年春，布坎南再次参加大选，此次他志在必得。出使国外使他在国内政坛比较超脱，参与起草《奥斯坦德宣言》又赢得了南方的青睐，因此他获得了民主党的提名。在竞选中，主要对手共和党人提出了激进的反奴隶制纲领，而民主党人则向各界人士许诺，要保持经济繁荣和秩序稳定，呼吁南北方团结起来，维护国家的统一，并一再强调，共和党的胜利意味着联邦解体。民主党强大的组织力量和竞选纲领的策略使布坎南终于赢得了胜利。1857年3月4日，布坎南宣誓就职。摄影师使用照相机第一次留下了总统就职仪式这一珍贵的图片资料。照片中的布坎南看上去颇有廉颇老矣的感觉。他是一位高龄的总统，面对的却是一个为内战阴云所笼罩的国家。或许总统一职到来得太迟，当年的锐气与活力正离他远去。他摇曳于南北之间，企图寻求一条不偏不倚的中庸之道来摆脱困境。
NSDA“SDcamps”全国英语演讲与辩论大赛（大学组）/SDcamps全国中小学生英语演讲与辩论大会（中小学及幼儿组）/美式辩论赛（以下简称大赛/大会）现诚招全国省市合作伙伴或城市合伙人，共同进行推广NSDA赛事品牌、举办赛事及培训活动、开展素质教育、美式营地项目等多方面合作。
我们希望认同NSDA理念，有赛事组织经验，或有教育资源，特别是有理想有热情的机构或个人一起携手，共同推广NSDA品牌、赛事及素质教育。以机构的形式，或以城市合伙人的方式均可。具体的赛事组织、盈利模式，欢迎电话或微信咨询。
微信：0012133598196
