加菲尔德总统就职演说(1).doc

演讲稿 加菲尔德总统就职演说(1) fellow-citizens:westandto-dayuponaneminencewhichoverlooksahundredyearsofnationallifeacenturycrowdedwithperils,butcrownedwiththetriumphsoflibertyandlaw.beforecontinuingtheonwardmarchletuspauseonthisheightforamomenttostrengthenourfaithandrenewourhopebyaglanceatthepathwayalongwhichourpeoplehavetraveled.itisnowthreedaysmorethanahundredyearssincetheadoptionofthefirstwrittenconstitutionoftheunitedstatesthearticlesofconfederationandperpetualunion.thenewrepublicwasthenbesetwithdangeroneveryhand.ithadnotconqueredaplaceinthefamilyofnations.thedecisivebattleofthewarforindependence,whosecentennialanniversarywillsoonbegratefullycelebratedatyorktown,hadnotyetbeenfought.thecolonistswerestrugglingnotonlyagainstthearmiesofagreatnation,butagainstthesettledopinionsofmankind;fortheworlddidnotthenbelievethatthesupremeauthorityofgovernmentcouldbesafelyintrustedtotheguardianshipofthepeoplethemselves.wecannotoverestimatetheferventloveofliberty,theintelligentcourage,andthesumofmonsensewithwhichourfathersmadethegreatexperimentofself-government.whentheyfound,afterashorttrial,thattheconfederacyofstates,wastooweaktomeetthenecessitiesofavigorousandexpandingrepublic,theyboldlysetitaside,andinitssteadestablishedanationalunion,foundeddirectlyuponthewillofthepeople,endowedwithfullpowerofself-preservationandampleauthorityfortheacplishmentofitsgreatobject.underthisconstitutiontheboundariesoffreedomhavebeenenlarged,thefoundationsoforderandpeacehavebeenstrengthened,andthegrowthofourpeopleinallthebetterelementsofnationallifehasindicatedthewisdomofthefoundersandgivennewhopetotheirdescendants.underthisconstitutionourpeoplelongagomadethemselvessafeagainstdangerfromwithoutandsecuredfortheirmarinersandflagequalityofrightsonalltheseas.underthisconstitutiontwenty-fivestateshavebeenaddedtotheunion,withconstitutionsandlaws,framedandenforcedbytheirowncitizens,tosecurethemanifoldblessingsoflocalself-government.thejurisdictionofthisconstitutionnowcoversanareafiftytimesgreaterthanthatoftheoriginalthirteenstatesandapopulationtwentytimesgreaterthanthatof1780.thesupremetrialoftheconstitutioncameatlastunderthetremendouspressureofcivilwar.weourselvesarewitnessesthattheunionemergedfromthebloodandfireofthatconflictpurifiedandmadestrongerforallthebeneficentpurposesofgoodgovernment.andnow,atthecloseofthisfirstcenturyofgrowth,withtheinspirationsofitshistoryintheirhearts,ourpeoplehavelatelyreviewedtheconditionofthenation,passedjudgmentupontheconductandopinionsofpoliticalparties,andhaveregisteredtheirwillconcerningthefutureadministrationofthegovernment.tointerpretandtoexecutethatwillinaccordancewiththeconstitutionistheparamountdutyoftheexecutive.evenfromthisbriefreviewitismanifestthatthenationisresolutelyfacingtothefront,resolvedtoemployitsbestenergiesindevelopingthegreatpossibilitiesofthefuture.sacredlypreservingwhateverhasbeengainedtolibertyandgoodgovernmentduringthecentury,ourpeoplearedeterminedtoleavebehindthemallthosebittercontroversiesconcerningthingswhichhavebeenirrevocablysettled,andthefurtherdiscussionofwhichcanonlystirupstrifeanddelaytheonwardmarch.thesupremacyofthenationanditslawsshouldbenolongerasubjectofdebate.thatdiscussion,whichforhalfacenturythreatenedtheexistenceoftheunion,wasclosedatlastinthehighcourtofwarbyadecreefromwhichthereisnoappealthattheconstitutionandthelawsmadeinpursuancethereofareandshallcontinuetobethesupremelawoftheland,bindingalikeuponthestatesandthepeople.thisdecreedoesnotdisturbtheautonomyofthestatesnorinterferewithanyoftheirnecessaryrightsoflocalself-government,butitdoesfixandestablishthepermanentsupremacyo