第2章 伟大的声音——杰斐逊首任就职演说 (1)

First Inaugural Address

托马斯·杰斐逊 / Thomas Jefferson

托马斯·杰斐逊（1743—1826），《独立宣言》和《弗吉尼亚宗教自由法案》的起草者、弗吉尼亚大学创建人，也是美国第三任总统。

Ace in the Hole

Understand these new words before you read this article.

1. inaugural adj. 就职的，就任的

2. animation n. 兴奋；生气；活跃

3. exertion n. 努力；费力

4. patriot n. 爱国者；爱国主义者

During the contest of opinion through which we have passed the animation of discussions and of exertions has sometimes worn an aspect which might impose on strangers unused to think freely and to speak and to write what they think； but this being now decided by the voice of the nation， announced according to the rules of the Constitution， all will， of course， arrange themselves under the will of the law， and unite in common efforts for the common good. All， too， will bear in mind this sacred principle， that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail， that will to be rightful must be reasonable； that the minority possess their equal rights， which equal law must protect， and to violate would be oppression. Let us， then， fellow-citizens， unite with one heart and one mind. Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but dreary things. And let us reflect that， having banished from our land that religious intolerance under which mankind so long bled and suffered， we have yet gained little if we countenance a political intolerance as despotic， as wicked， and capable of as bitter and bloody persecutions. During the throes and convulsions of the ancient world， during the agonizing spasms of infuriated man， seeking through blood and slaughter his long-lost liberty， it was not wonderful that the agitation of the billows should reach even this distant and peaceful shore； that this should be more felt and feared by some and less by others， and should divide opinions as to measures of safety. But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans， we are all Federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union or to change its republican form， let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. I know， indeed， that some honest men fear that a republican government can not be strong， that this Government is not strong enough； but would the honest patriot， in the full tide of successful experiment， abandon a government which has so far kept us free and firm on the theoretic and visionary fear that this Government， the world’s best hope， may by possibility want energy to preserve itself？ I trust not. I believe this， on the contrary， the strongest Government on earth. I believe it the only one where every man， at the call of the law， would fly to the standard of the law， and would meet invasions of the public order as his own personal concern. Sometimes it is said that man can not be trusted with the government of himself. Can he， then， be trusted with the government of others？ Or have we found angels in the forms of kings to govern him？ Let history answer this question.

Let us， then， with courage and confidence pursue our own Federal and Republican principles， our attachment to union and representative government. Kindly separated by nature and a wide ocean from the exterminating havoc of one quarter of the globe； too high-minded to endure the degradations of the others； possessing a chosen country， with room enough for our descendants to the thousandth and thousandth generation； entertaining a due sense of our equal right to the use of our own faculties， to the acquisitions of our own industry， to honor and confidence from our fellow-citizens， resulting not from birth， but from our actions and their sense of them； enlightened by a benign religion， professed， indeed， and practiced in various forms， yet all of them inculcating honesty， truth， temperance， gratitude and the love of man； acknowledging and adoring an overruling Providence， which by all its dispensations proves that it delights in the happiness of man here and his greater happiness hereafter—with all these blessings， what more is necessary to make us a happy and a prosperous people？ Still one thing more， fellow-citizens—a wise and frugal Government， which shall restrain men from injuring one another， shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement， and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government， and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities.