富兰克林·皮尔斯就职演说(1).doc

演讲稿 富兰克林皮尔斯就职演说(1) mycountrymen:itarelieftofeelthatnoheartbutmyowncanknowthepersonalregretandbittersorrowoverwhichihavebeenbornetoapositionsosuitableforothersratherthandesirableformyself.thecircumstancesunderwhichihavebeencalledforalimitedperiodtopresideoverthedestiniesoftherepublicfillmewithaprofoundsenseofresponsibility,butwithnothinglikeshrinkingapprehension.irepairtothepostassignedmenotastoonesought,butinobediencetotheunsolicitedexpressionofyourwill,answerableonlyforafearless,faithful,anddiligentexerciseofmybestpowers.ioughttobe,andam,trulygratefulfortheraremanifestationofthenationsconfidence;butthis,sofarfromlighteningmyobligations,onlyaddstotheirweight.youhavesummonedmeinmyweakness;youmustsustainmebyyourstrength.whenlookingforthefulfillmentofreasonablerequirements,youwillnotbeunmindfulofthegreatchangeswhichhaveoccurred,evenwithinthelastquarterofacentury,andtheconsequentaugmentationandplexityofdutiesimposedintheadministrationbothofyourhomeandforeignaffairs.whethertheelementsofinherentforceintherepublichavekeptpacewithitsunparalleledprogressioninterritory,population,andwealthhasbeenthesubjectofearnestthoughtanddiscussiononbothsidesoftheocean.lessthansixty-fouryearsagothefatherofhiscountrymadethethenrecentaccessionoftheimportantstateofnorthcarolinatotheconstitutionoftheunitedstatesoneofthesubjectsofhisspecialcongratulation.atthatmoment,however,whentheagitationconsequentupontherevolutionarystrugglehadhardlysubsided,whenwewerejustemergingfromtheweaknessandembarrassmentsoftheconfederation,therewasanevidentconsciousnessofvigorequaltothegreatmissionsowiselyandbravelyfulfilledbyourfathers.itwasnotapresumptuousassurance,butacalmfaith,springingfromaclearviewofthesourcesofpowerinagovernmentconstitutedlikeours.itisnoparadoxtosaythatalthoughparativelyweakthenew-bornnationwasintrinsicallystrong.inconsiderableinpopulationandapparentresources,itwasupheldbyabroadandintelligentprehensionofrightsandanall-pervadingpurposetomaintainthem,strongerthanarmaments.itcamefromthefurnaceoftherevolution,temperedtothenecessitiesofthetimes.thethoughtsofthemenofthatdaywereaspracticalastheirsentimentswerepatriotic.theywastednoportionoftheirenergiesuponidleanddelusivespeculations,butwithafirmandfearlessstepadvancedbeyondthegovernmentallandmarkswhichhadhithertocircumscribedthelimitsofhumanfreedomandplantedtheirstandard,whereithasstoodagainstdangerswhichhavethreatenedfromabroad,andinternalagitation,whichhasattimesfearfullymenacedathome.theyprovedthemselvesequaltothesolutionofthegreatproblem,tounderstandwhichtheirmindshadbeenilluminatedbythedawninglightsoftherevolution.theobjectsoughtwasnotathingdreamedof;itwasathingrealized.theyhadexhibitedonlythepowertoachieve,but,whatallhistoryaffirmstobesomuchmoreunusual,thecapacitytomaintain.theoppressedthroughouttheworldfromthatdaytothepresenthaveturnedtheireyeshitherward,nottofindthoselightsextinguishedortofearlesttheyshouldwane,buttobeconstantlycheeredbytheirsteadyandincreasingradiance.inthisourcountryhas,inmyjudgment,thusfarfulfilleditshighestdutytosufferinghumanity.ithasspokenandwillcontinuetospeak,notonlybyitswords,butbyitsacts,thelanguageofsympathy,encouragement,andhopetothosewhoearnestlylistentotoneswhichpronounceforthelargestrationalliberty.butafterall,themostanimatingencouragementandpotentappealforfreedomwillbeitsownhistoryitstrialsanditstriumphs.preeminently,thepowerofouradvocacyreposesinourexample;butnoexample,beitremembered,canbepowerfulforlastinggood,whateverapparentadvantagesmaybegained,whichisnotbaseduponeternalprinciplesofrightandjustice.ourfathersdecidedforthemselves,bothuponthehourtodeclareandthehourtostrike.theyweretheirownjudgesofthecircumstancesunderwhichitbecamethemtopledgetoeachothertheirlives,theirfortunes,andtheirsacredhonorfortheacquisitionofthepricelessinheritancetransmittedtous.theenergywithwhichthatgreatconflictwasopenedand,undertheguidanceofa