1861年林肯就职演讲稿英文版.docx

1861年林肯就职演讲稿英文版.docx

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1861年林肯就职演讲稿英文版

1861年林肯就职演讲稿（英文版）

Speech：

IncompliancewithacustomasoldastheGovernmentitself,IappearbeforeyoutoaddressyoubrieflyandtotakeinyourpresencetheoathprescribedbytheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatestobetakenbythePresident“beforeheentersontheexecutionofthisoffice.”

Idonotconsideritnecessaryatpresentformetodiscussthosemattersofadministrationaboutwhichthereisnospecialanxietyorexcitement.

ApprehensionseemstoexistamongthepeopleoftheSouthernStatesthatbytheaccessionofaRepublicanAdministrationtheirpropertyandtheirpeaceandpersonalsecurityaretobeendangered.Therehasneverbeenanyreasonablecauseforsuchapprehension.Indeed,themostampleevidencetothecontraryhasallthewhileexistedandbeenopentotheirinspection.Itisfoundinnearlyallthepublishedspeechesofhimwhonowaddressesyou.IdobutquotefromoneofthosespeecheswhenIdeclarethat:

Ihavenopurpose,directlyorindirectly,tointerferewiththeinstitutionofslaveryintheStateswhereitexists.IbelieveIhavenolawfulrighttodoso,andIhavenoinclinationtodoso.

ThosewhonominatedandelectedmedidsowithfullknowledgethatIhadmadethisandmanysimilardeclarationsandhadneverrecantedthem;andmorethanthis,theyplacedintheplatformformyacceptance,andasalawtothemselvesandtome,theclearandemphaticresolutionwhichInowread:

Resolved,ThatthemaintenanceinviolateoftherightsoftheStates,andespeciallytherightofeachStatetoorderandcontrolitsowndomesticinstitutionsaccordingtoitsownjudgmentexclusively,isessentialtothatbalanceofpoweronwhichtheperfectionandenduranceofourpoliticalfabricdepend;andwedenouncethelawlessinvasionbyarmedforceofthesoilofanyStateorTerritory,nomatterwhatpretext,asamongthegravestofcrimes.

Inowreiteratethesesentiments,andindoingsoIonlypressuponthepublicattentionthemostconclusiveevidenceofwhichthecaseissusceptiblethattheproperty,peace,andsecurityofnosectionaretobeinanywiseendangeredbythenowincomingAdministration.Iadd,too,thatalltheprotectionwhich,consistentlywiththeConstitutionandthelaws,canbegivenwillbecheerfullygiventoalltheStateswhenlawfullydemanded,forwhatevercause-ascheerfullytoonesectionastoanother.

Thereismuchcontroversyaboutthedeliveringupoffugitivesfromserviceorlabour.TheclauseInowreadisasplainlywrittenintheConstitutionasanyotherofitsprovisions:

NopersonheldtoserviceorlabourinoneState,underthelawsthereof,escapingintoanother,shallinconsequenceofanylaworregulationthereinbedischargedfromsuchserviceorlabour,butshallbedelivereduponclaimofthepartytowhomsuchserviceorlabourmaybedue.

Itisscarcelyquestionedthatthisprovisionwasintendedbythosewhomadeitforthereclaimingofwhatwecallfugitiveslaves;andtheintentionofthelawgiveristhelaw.AllmembersofCongresssweartheirsupporttothewholeConstitution-tothisprovisionasmuchastoanyother.Totheproposition,then,thatslaveswhosecasescomewithinthetermsofthisclause“shallbedeliveredup”theiroathsareunanimous.Now,iftheywouldmaketheeffortingoodtemper,couldtheynotwithnearlyequalunanimityframe

andpassalawbymeansofwhichtokeepgoodthatunanimousoath?

ThereissomedifferenceofopinionwhetherthisclauseshouldbeenforcedbynationalorbyStateauthority,butsurelythatdifferenceisnotaverymaterialone.Iftheslaveistobesurrendered,itcanbeofbutlittleconsequencetohimortoothersbywhichauthorityitisdone.Andshouldanyoneinanycasebecontentthathisoathshallgoun-keptonamerelyunsubstantialcontroversyastohowitshallbekept?

Again:

Inanylawuponthissubjectoughtnotallthesafeguardsoflibertyknownincivilizedandhumanejurisprudencetobeintroduced,sothatafreemanbenotinanycasesurrenderedasaslave?

AndmightitnotbewellatthesametimetoprovidebylawfortheenforcementofthatclauseintheConstitutionwhichguaranteesthat“thecitizensofeachStateshallbeentitledtoallprivilegesandimmunitiesofcitizensintheseveralStates”?

Itaketheofficialoathto-daywithnomentalreservationsandwithnopurposetoconstruetheConstitutionorlawsbyanyhypercriticalrules;andwhileIdonotchoosenowtospecifyparticularactsofCongressaspropertobeenforced,Idosuggestthatitwillbemuchsaferforall,bothinofficialandprivatestations,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstandun-repealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.

Itisseventy-twoyearssincethefirstinaugurationofaPresidentunderourNationalConstitution.DuringthatperiodfifteendifferentandgreatlydistinguishedcitizenshaveinsuccessionadministeredtheexecutivebranchoftheGovernment.Theyhaveconducteditthroughmanyperils,andgenerallywithgreatsuccess.Yet,withallthisscopeofprecedent,Inowenteruponthesametaskforthebriefconstitutionaltermoffouryearsundergreatandpeculiardifficulty.AdisruptionoftheFederalUnion,heretoforeonlymenaced,isnowformidablyattempted.

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IholdthatincontemplationofuniversallawandoftheConstitutiontheUnionoftheseStatesisperpetual.Perpetuityisimplied,ifnotexpressed,inthefundamentallawofallnationalgovernments.Itissafetoassertthatnogovernmentpropereverhadaprovisioninitsorganiclawforitsowntermination.ContinuetoexecutealltheexpressprovisionsofourNationalConstitution,andtheUnionwillendureforever,itbeingimpossibletodestroyitexceptbysomeactionnotprovidedforintheinstrumentitself.

Again:

IftheUnitedStatesbenotagovernmentproper,butanassociationofStatesinthenatureofcontractmerely,canit,asacontract,bepeaceablyunmadebylessthanallthepartieswhomadeit?

Onepartytoacontractmayviolateit-breakit,sotospeak-butdoesitnotrequirealltolawfullyrescindit?

Descendingfromthesegeneralprinciples,wefindthepropositionthatinlegalcontemplationtheUnionisperpetualconfirmedbythehistoryoftheUnionitself.TheUnionismucholderthantheConstitution.Itwasformed,infact,bytheArticlesofAssociationin1774.ItwasmaturedandcontinuedbytheDeclarationofIndependencein1776.Itwasfurthermatured,andthefaithofallthethenthirteenStatesexpresslyplightedandengagedthatitshouldbeperpetual,bytheArticlesofConfederationin1778.Andfinally,in1787,oneofthedeclaredobjectsforordain

ingandestablishingtheConstitutionwas“toformamoreperfectUnion.”

ButifdestructionoftheUnionbyoneorbyapartonlyoftheStatesbelawfullypossible,theUnionislessperfectthanbeforetheConstitution,havinglostthevitalelementofperpetuity.

ItfollowsfromtheseviewsthatnoStateuponitsownmeremotioncanlawfullygetoutoftheUnion;thatresolvesandordinancestothateffectarelegallyvoid,andthatactsofviolencewithinanyStateorStatesagainsttheauthorityoftheUnitedStatesareinsurrectionaryorrevolutionary,accordingtocircumstances.

IthereforeconsiderthatinviewoftheConstitutionandthelawstheUnionisunbroken,andtotheextentofmyability,Ishalltakecare,astheConstitutionitselfexpresslyenjoinsuponme,thatthelawsoftheUnionbefaithfullyexecutedinalltheStates.DoingthisIdeemtobeonlyasimpledutyonmypart,andIshallperformitsofaraspracticableunlessmyrightfulmasters,theAmericanpeople,shallwithholdtherequisitemeansorinsomeauthoritativemannerdirectthecontrary.Itrustthiswillnotberegardedasamenace,butonlyasthedeclaredpurposeoftheUnionthatitwillconstitutionallydefendandmaintainitself.

Indoingthisthereneedstobenobloodshedorviolence,andthereshallbenoneunlessitbeforceduponthenationalauthority.Thepowerconfidedtomewillbeusedtohold,occupy,andpossessthepropertyandplacesbelongingtotheGovernmentandtocollectthedutiesandimposts;butbeyondwhatmaybenecessaryfortheseobjects,therewillbenoinvasion,nousingofforceagainstoramongthepeopleanywhere.WherehostilitytotheUnitedStatesinanyinteriorlocalityshallbesogreatanduniversalastopreventcompetentresidentcitizensfromholdingtheFederaloffices,therewillbenoattempttoforceobnoxiousstrangersamongthepeopleforthatobject.WhilethestrictlegalrightmayexistintheGovernmenttoenforcetheexerciseoftheseoffices,theattempttodosowouldbesoirritatingandsonearlyimpracticablewithalthatIdeemitbettertoforegoforthetimetheusesofsuchoffices.

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Themails,unlessrepelled,willcontinuetobefurnishedinallpartsoftheUnion.Sofaraspossiblethepeopleeverywhereshallhavethatsenseofperfectsecuritywhichismostfavourabletocalmthoughtandreflection.Thecoursehereindicatedwillbefollowedunlesscurrenteventsandexperienceshallshowamodificationorchangetobeproper,andineverycaseandexigencymybestdiscretionwillbeexercised,accordingtocircumstancesactuallyexistingandwithaviewandahopeofapeacefulsolutionofthenationaltroublesandtherestorationoffraternalsympathiesandaffections.

ThattherearepersonsinonesectionoranotherwhoseektodestroytheUnionatalleventsandaregladofanypretexttodoitIwillneitheraffirmnordeny;butiftherebesuch,Ineedaddressnowordtothem.Tothose,however,whoreallylovetheUnion