TheDeclarationofIndeendence
托马斯·杰斐逊
ThomasJefferson
托马斯·杰斐逊(1743—1826),生于美国弗吉尼亚州,1762年毕业于威廉与玛丽学院,1767年取得律师资格。杰斐逊于1769年进入殖民地议会,成为反英运动领袖之一。1774年发表的小册子《英属北美权利概要》为杰斐逊的重要作品,文中指出英国国会无权为殖民地制定法律。1775年他随弗吉尼亚代表团出席在费城举行的第二次大陆会议,1776年因起草《独立宣言》而名垂史册。《独立宣言》超越了一时一地的历史特殊意义,成为人类追求自身价值的伟大文献。
AceintheHole
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle。
1。unalienableadj。(指权利等)不能让与的,不能剥夺的
2。comliancen。服从,听从,顺从
3。mercenaryadj。雇用的,为钱的,唯利是图的
4。consanguinityn。血亲;同族;密切关系
WhenintheCourseofhumanevents,itbecomesnecessaryforoneeoletodissolvetheoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother,andtoassumeamongtheowersoftheearth,thesearateandequalstationtowhichtheLawsofNatureandofNature’sGodentitlethem,adecentresecttotheoinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimelthemtothesearation。
Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandtheursuitofHainess。Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned。ThatwheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeoletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchrincilesandorganizingitsowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHainess。
Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;andaccordinglyallexeriencehathshewn,thatmankindaremoredisosedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferable,thantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed。
Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurations,ursuinginvariablythesameobjectevincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDesotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andtorovidenewGuardsfortheirfuturesecurity。SuchhasbeentheatientsufferanceoftheseColonies;andsuchisnowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthemtoaltertheirformerSystemsofGovernment。
ThehistoryoftheresentKingofGreatBritain(GeorgeIII)isahistoryofreeatedinjuriesandusurations,allhavingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsoluteTyrannyovertheseStates。Torovethis,letFactsbesubmittedtoacandidworld。
HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themostwholesomeandnecessaryfortheublicgood。
HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstoassLawsofimmediateandressingimortance,unlesssusendedintheiroerationtillhisAssentshouldbeobtained,andwhensosusended,hehasutterlyneglectedtoattendtothem。
HehasrefusedtoassotherLawsfortheaccommodationoflargedistrictsofeole,unlessthoseeolewouldrelinquishtherightofReresentationintheLegislature,arightinestimabletothemandformidabletotyrantsonly。
Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesatlacesunusual,uncomfortableanddistantfromthedeositoryoftheirublicRecords,forthesoleuroseoffatiguingthemintocomliancewithhismeasures。
HehasdissolvedReresentativeHousesreeatedly,foroosingwithmanlyfirmnesshisinvasionsontherightsoftheeole。
Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuchdissolutions,tocauseotherstobeelected;wherebytheLegislativeowers,incaableofAnnihilation,havereturnedtothePeoleatlargefortheirexercise;theStateremaininginthemeantimeexosedtoallthedangersofinvasionfromwithout,andconvulsionswithin。
HehasendeavoredtoreventtheoulationoftheseStates;forthaturoseobstructingtheLawsforNaturalizationofForeigners;refusingtoassotherstoencouragetheirmigrationshither,andraisingtheconditionsofnewAroriationsofLands。
HehasobstructedtheAdministrationofJustice,byrefusinghisAssenttoLawsforestablishingJudiciaryowers。