03 The Creed of Our Political Faith
杰斐逊总统第1次就职演讲：我们的政治信念

在美国总统就职演讲的历史上，有4场是史学家公认最伟大的演讲，分别是杰斐逊第1次就职演讲（1801）、林肯第2次就职演讲（1865）、富兰克林•罗斯福第1次就职演讲（1933）、肯尼迪就职演讲（1961）。本书将会陆续介绍这4篇就职演讲。

美国独立战争（1775-1783）结束后，1783年9月3日，英国签下《巴黎条约》，正式承认美国的独立。1789年，美国宪法正式生效后，同年诞生了美国历史上的第1位总统乔治•华盛顿（George Washington）。华盛顿连任2届之后（任期1789-1797），继之的总统是约翰•亚当斯（John Adams，任期1797-1801），之后杰斐逊继任第3任总统，并连任2届（任期1801-1809）。

杰斐逊也是美国《独立宣言》（1776）的起草人，他多才多艺，同时是一位建筑师、发明家、科学家。他能够阅读5种以上的语言。此外，他也是《宗教自由法》《西部土地法》等官方文献的起草人，并创办了弗吉尼亚大学。

杰斐逊提倡民主，而且能够结合崇高的理想与实际情况。他在这篇第1次就职演讲中，阐述了民主哲学，是民主思想的经典之作。

Speaker 美利坚合众国第3任总统杰斐逊

（Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826）

Time1801 年3月4日

Place 美国华盛顿特区（Washington, D.C.）

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During the contest of opinion through which we have past, 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 laws 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 countenancea political intolerance, as despotic, as wicked, and capable of as bitter and bloody persecutions.

Let us then, with courage and confidence, pursue our own federal and republican principles; our attachment to union and representative government.

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.

About to enter, fellow citizens, on the exercise of duties which comprehend every thing dear and valuable to you, it is proper you should understand what I deem the essential principles of our government, and consequently those which ought to shape its administration. I will compress them within the narrowest compass they will bear, stating the general principle, but not all its limitations.

——Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political;

——peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none;

我们经历了一段时期的争论，大家讨论得沸沸扬扬，各自竞相奔走。那些还不习惯自由思考和自由写作的人士见到这种情形，可能会相顾失色。但如今已经由全国人民做出决定，并根据宪法规定来加以公布，大家都要遵守法律，并且团结一致，为共同的利益而奋斗。

大家也会牢牢记住这个神圣的原则，那就是：虽然凡事都要以多数人的意见为主，但意见还是要合情合理；而主张少数意见的人也拥有同等的权利，“平等法”务必保护他们的权利，如有违反，便是迫害。

所以各位同胞，我们应当上下一心团结起来，恢复社会的和谐，人人要互相友爱，否则自由——甚至连生活本身——都会变成是一种噩梦。

我们还应该反思：我们已经将那种长久以来造成人类冲突与苦难的排他性宗教，谢绝在我们的大门之外，而如果我们又鼓励一言堂的政治，专制、邪恶、进行残酷血腥的迫害，那我们其实并没有什么太大的进步。

因此各位，我们应当秉着勇气和信心，追求我们自己的联邦与共和原则，拥护联邦和代议政体。

各位同胞，我们另外还需要的是一个贤明而节俭的政府。这样的政府能够防止人们互相迫害，并且让人民得以自由地追求事业与进步，不会剥夺人民的所得。这是一个良好政府的要旨，也是人民安居乐业的必要条件。

各位同胞，我即将开始履行我的职责，其中涵盖了你们所珍视的一切东西，所以你们有必要了解我所认为的政府基本原则，这些原则将会导出我们的施政方针。以下我将简单陈述大方向，我只讲一般的原则，不会谈及全部范畴。

——不论出身于什么地位、信念、宗教或党派，人人都享有平等和公正的待遇；

——与所有国家和平相处，互通有无，敦睦邦交，但不与他国结盟；

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——the support of the state governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations for our domestic concerns, and the surest bulwarks against anti-republican tendencies;

—— the preservation of the General government in its whole constitutional vigor , as the sheet anchor of our peace at home, and safety abroad;

——a jealouscare of the right of election by the people, a mild and safe corrective of abuses which are lopped by the sword of revolution where peaceable remedies are unprovided;

——absolute acquiescence—— in the decisions of the majority, the vital principle of republics, from which is no appeal but to force, the vital principle and immediate parent of the despotism;

——a well disciplined militia——, our best reliance in peace, and for the first moments of war, till regulars may relieve them;

—— the supremacy of the civil over the military authority;

—— economy in the public expense, that labor may be lightly burthened;

—— the honest payment of our debts and sacred preservation of the public faith;

—— encouragement of agriculture, and of commerce as its handmaid;

——the diffusion of information, and arraignment—— of all abuses at thebar of the public reason;

—— freedom of religion; freedom of the press; and freedom of person, under the protection of the Habeas Corpus ; and trial by juries impartially selected.

These principles form the bright constellation, which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages, and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment; they should be the creed of our political faith; the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps, and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety.

——支持州政府的所有权利，让各州能够处理内政事务，并使各州成为抵挡“反共和潮流”的最佳堡垒；

——维护中央政府具有宪法上的完整效力，并使中央政府成为国内和平和对外安全的后盾；

——小心维护人民的选举权，独立战争所留下来的弊端并无平和的补救办法，而人民选举权则是一种温和而安全的矫正手段；

——绝对服从多数人的决定，是共和政体的主要原则，如果诉诸武力，就变成了专制政治的主要原则和直接起源；

——维持训练有素的国民卫队，使之成为和平时期和战争初期的最佳依靠，战争初期之后再由正规军来接替；

——文职权高于军权；

——节省政府的开支，减轻人民的负担；

——如实清偿我们的债务，审慎地维护人民的信心；

——促进农业，并鼓励商业扶植农业；

——普及知识，并依“公共理性”来纠正一切弊端；

——保障宗教自由和出版自由，并以人身保护法来保障人身自由，并以公正选出的陪审团来进行审判。

这些原则犹如明亮的星辰，在独立战争和改革的期间，在我们的前方指引我们的脚步。我们圣哲们的智慧和英雄们的鲜血，都曾为实现这些原则做出过奉献。这些应当是我们政治信念的纲领，是我们公民教育的课本，是人民所委托的政府的行事标准。要是因一时的错误或惊慌而走偏了，我们就应该赶快回头，回到这条唯一能通往和平、自由和安全的大道上。