1841年4月4日，約翰·泰勒在華盛頓特區(qū)正式就任美國第10任總統(tǒng)，4月9日，他向全國人民發(fā)表就職演講。

約翰·泰勒出身美國輝格黨，來自美國南方，他原是美國副總統(tǒng)，哈里森總統(tǒng)病逝后接替其成為總統(tǒng)，因此他是第一位因現(xiàn)任總統(tǒng)死亡而繼任的美國總統(tǒng)。

泰勒總統(tǒng)的任期，對(duì)內(nèi)方面，他改革了美國海軍，組建了美國氣象局；他維護(hù)南方種植園主的利益，極力阻止北方資產(chǎn)階級(jí)重建國家銀行；1843年，美國的經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)基本自然結(jié)束；他鼓勵(lì)西進(jìn)運(yùn)動(dòng)，但是其明顯的南方立場(chǎng)使得他的名望在北方極其糟糕；他任期內(nèi)，美國“昭昭天命”的思想迅速發(fā)展，越來越多的美國人認(rèn)為將美國的領(lǐng)土從大西洋延伸到太平洋是美國人的天命，因而吞并德克薩斯和入侵墨西哥的呼聲也越來越高。

對(duì)外方面，泰勒總統(tǒng)動(dòng)用軍隊(duì)擊敗了多個(gè)印第安部落；由于德克薩斯問題，美國和墨西哥的關(guān)系日益緊張；但是他成功緩解了美國和加拿大的邊界爭端；在東方，美國同清政府簽署了《望廈條約》，這是中國和美國之間簽署的第一個(gè)不平等條約。

1845年3月4日，約翰·泰勒卸任美國總統(tǒng)一職，他繼續(xù)活躍于美國政壇。

19世紀(jì)40、50年代，美國南北矛盾呈現(xiàn)出不可調(diào)和的趨勢(shì)，泰勒始終堅(jiān)持其維護(hù)南方種植園主的立場(chǎng)，并鼓勵(lì)南方各州脫離聯(lián)邦獨(dú)立建國，美國南北戰(zhàn)爭爆發(fā)后，他作為議員加入南方各州所謂“美利堅(jiān)聯(lián)盟國”的國會(huì)。

1862年1月18日，約翰·泰勒死于因感冒引起的中風(fēng)，享年71歲。

It was hard graft all the way and a good result in the end. ——? John Tyler

前進(jìn)的道路總是曲折艱辛，但終會(huì)取得好的結(jié)果?！?約翰·泰勒

FELLOW-CITIZENS:?

同胞們：

Before my arrival at the seat of Government the painful communication was made to you by the officers presiding over the several Departments of the deeply regretted death of William Henry Harrison, late President of the United States. Upon him you had conferred your suffrages for the first office in your gift, and had selected him as your chosen instrument to correct and reform all such errors and abuses as had manifested themselves from time to time in the practical operation of the Government. While standing at the threshold of this great work he has by the dispensation of an all-wise Providence been removed from amongst us, and by the provisions of the Constitution the efforts to be directed to the accomplishing of this vitally important task have devolved upon myself. This same occurrence has subjected the wisdom and sufficiency of our institutions to a new test. For the first time in our history the person elected to the Vice-Presidency of the United States, by the happening of a contingency provided for in the Constitution, has had devolved upon him the Presidential office. The spirit of faction, which is directly opposed to the spirit of a lofty patriotism, may find in this occasion for assaults upon my Administration; and in succeeding, under circumstances so sudden and unexpected and to responsibilities so greatly augmented, to the administration of public affairs I shall place in the intelligence and patriotism of the people my only sure reliance. My earnest prayer shall be constantly addressed to the all-wise and all-powerful Being who made me, and by whose dispensation I am called to the high office of President of this Confederacy, understandingly to carry out the principles of that Constitution which I have sworn "to protect, preserve, and defend."

在就任我在政府中的職位之前，我代表政府各部門，悲痛地告知你們，美國前總統(tǒng)威廉·亨利·哈里森已經(jīng)不幸逝世。同胞們投票授予他擔(dān)任最高職務(wù)的資格，選擇由他來糾正并改革政府實(shí)踐操作中時(shí)不時(shí)出現(xiàn)的錯(cuò)誤與不妥之處。在他剛踏入這項(xiàng)偉大職務(wù)的大門時(shí)，全知的上帝將他帶離了人間，而根據(jù)憲法規(guī)定，他所承擔(dān)的艱巨重任如今落到了我的肩上。此事也給我國制度的優(yōu)越性和完善度帶來了新的考驗(yàn)。這是我國歷史上首次出現(xiàn)憲法規(guī)定中，因意外事件而讓人民選舉的副總統(tǒng)接替總統(tǒng)職務(wù)的事例。與偉大愛國主義思想直接相左的黨派思想，可能會(huì)趁機(jī)對(duì)我的政府進(jìn)行攻擊；意外事發(fā)過于突然，我肩上的責(zé)任也陡然劇增，因此我應(yīng)當(dāng)以人民的智慧和愛國作為我治國理政的唯一堅(jiān)實(shí)依靠。我虔誠地向無所不知、無所不能的造物主祈禱，造物主創(chuàng)造了我，召喚我擔(dān)任聯(lián)邦總統(tǒng)這一崇高的職務(wù)，以使我實(shí)踐我的誓言，“擁護(hù)，支持，捍衛(wèi)”憲法原則。

The usual opportunity which is afforded to a Chief Magistrate upon his induction to office of presenting to his countrymen an exposition of the policy which would guide his Administration, in the form of an inaugural address, not having, under the peculiar circumstances which have brought me to the discharge of the high duties of President of the United States, been afforded to me, a brief exposition of the principles which will govern me in the general course of my administration of public affairs would seem to be due as well to myself as to you.

我國最高行政官在就任時(shí)通常會(huì)以就職演說的形式，借以向同胞們闡述自己治理國家的政策，由于本人就職美國總統(tǒng)這一高職的情況較為特殊，因而尚未能向大家闡述自己政府管理公共事務(wù)的原則大綱，我現(xiàn)在簡要地告知各位我將采取的原則。

In regard to foreign nations, the groundwork of my policy will be justice on our part to all, submitting to injustice from none. While I shall sedulously cultivate the relations of peace and amity with one and all, it will be my most imperative duty to see that the honor of the country shall sustain no blemish. With a view to this, the condition of our military defenses will become a matter of anxious solicitude. The Army, which has in other days covered itself with renown, and the Navy, not inappropriately termed the right arm of the public defense, which has spread a light of glory over the American standard in all the waters of the earth, should be rendered replete with efficiency.

關(guān)于對(duì)外事務(wù)，我的政策基礎(chǔ)是以平等的態(tài)度對(duì)待所有國家，不損害任何國家的權(quán)利。雖然我會(huì)致力同所有國家保持和平友好的關(guān)系，但是捍衛(wèi)我國榮譽(yù)不受侵害才是我的首要責(zé)任。因此我國的軍事國防問題引人關(guān)注。美國陸軍此前享譽(yù)盛名，而美國海軍被稱之為國防的左膀右臂也絲毫不過，海軍曾將美國軍旗的光輝榮耀灑滿全球每一個(gè)水域，我國軍隊(duì)能征善戰(zhàn)。

In view of the fact, well avouched by history, that the tendency of all human institutions is to concentrate power in the hands of a single man, and that their ultimate downfall has proceeded from this cause, I deem it of the most essential importance that a complete separation should take place between the sword and the purse. No matter where or how the public moneys shall be deposited, so long as the President can exert the power of appointing and removing at his pleasure the agents selected for their custody the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy is in fact the treasurer. A permanent and radical change should therefore be decreed. The patronage incident to the Presidential office, already great, is constantly increasing.

歷史已經(jīng)證明了，任何人類制度都傾向于將權(quán)力集中在一人之中，而正是因此導(dǎo)致了他們的最終覆滅，鑒于此經(jīng)驗(yàn)，我認(rèn)為將利劍和錢袋分開保管極具必要。無論國家資金以何種方式存放在何處，只要總統(tǒng)依然有權(quán)力隨意任免國庫負(fù)責(zé)人，那么陸海軍總司令(譯者注：美國總統(tǒng)是名義上的美國陸海軍總司令)就成為了實(shí)際的國庫掌握者。因此，應(yīng)當(dāng)采取永久性的根本改革?？偨y(tǒng)一職的實(shí)惠已經(jīng)過大，且還在不斷增加。

Such increase is destined to keep pace with the growth of our population, until, without a figure of speech, an army of officeholders may be spread over the land. The unrestrained power exerted by a selfishly ambitious man in order either to perpetuate his authority or to hand it over to some favorite as his successor may lead to the employment of all the means within his control to accomplish his object. The right to remove from office, while subjected to no just restraint, is inevitably destined to produce a spirit of crouching servility with the official corps, which, in order to uphold the hand which feeds them, would lead to direct and active interference in the elections, both State and Federal, thereby subjecting the course of State legislation to the dictation of the chief executive officer and making the will of that officer absolute and supreme. I will at a proper time invoke the action of Congress upon this subject, and shall readily acquiesce in the adoption of all proper measures which are calculated to arrest these evils, so full of danger in their tendency. I will remove no incumbent from office who has faithfully and honestly acquitted himself of the duties of his office, except in such cases where such officer has been guilty of an active partisanship or by secret means--the less manly, and therefore the more objectionable has given his official influence to the purposes of party, thereby bringing the patronage of the Government in conflict with the freedom of elections. Numerous removals may become necessary under this rule. These will be made by me through no acerbity of feeling--I have had no cause to cherish or indulge unkind feelings toward any--but my conduct will be regulated by a profound sense of what is due to the country and its institutions; nor shall I neglect to apply the same unbending rule to those of my own appointment. Freedom of opinion will be tolerated, the full enjoyment of the right of suffrage will be maintained as the birthright of every American citizen; but I say emphatically to the official corps, "Thus far and no farther." I have dwelt the longer upon this subject because removals from office are likely often to arise, and I would have my countrymen to understand the principle of the Executive action.

總統(tǒng)的權(quán)力注定會(huì)和我國人口同步增長，我毫不夸張地說，一支由政客控制的軍隊(duì)很能不久就會(huì)控制全國。權(quán)力不受控制，就會(huì)被有私心的野心家利用，他可能會(huì)施行權(quán)力終身制，亦或欽定自己偏愛的傀儡接替自己的職位，進(jìn)而使用一切手段達(dá)成自己的目的?？偨y(tǒng)的罷免權(quán)并沒有得到有效的制約，這勢(shì)必會(huì)導(dǎo)致人民產(chǎn)生對(duì)官僚全體卑躬屈膝的想法，最終控制人民這張將他們托到高處的手，然后積極地干涉各州和聯(lián)邦選舉，使得國家在立法過程中只能完全服從總統(tǒng)的命令，進(jìn)而造成總統(tǒng)專制，總統(tǒng)的意志至高無上。我會(huì)在時(shí)機(jī)恰當(dāng)時(shí)召開國會(huì)商議這一問題，并采取一切合法措施遏制這種邪惡的趨勢(shì)。我不會(huì)罷免任何忠實(shí)履職，誠信工作的現(xiàn)任官員，除非該官員有私心偏袒、秘密勾結(jié)——這些缺乏男子漢氣概的行為，還有更令人無法接受的便是，他利用公職權(quán)力為自己的黨派謀私，使得政府與自由選舉站在了對(duì)立面。據(jù)此原則，可能會(huì)有許多官員遭到罷免。這些罷免的決定將由我公平公正地做出——我從不希望，也不會(huì)隨意待人不友善——但是我的行為必須符合國家和制度的規(guī)范；同樣，我在任命新官員時(shí)同樣會(huì)恪守這一原則。思想自由會(huì)得到尊重，選舉權(quán)將作為每個(gè)美國公民與生俱來所充分享有的權(quán)利，我們堅(jiān)決捍衛(wèi)這一權(quán)利；但是我也會(huì)對(duì)官員團(tuán)體強(qiáng)調(diào)：“僅此而已，適可而止?！币?yàn)槲翌A(yù)計(jì)我會(huì)經(jīng)常罷免官員，所以我談及該問題花了較多時(shí)間，我希望同胞們能夠理解我的行政準(zhǔn)則。

In all public expenditures the most rigid economy should be resorted to, and, as one of its results, a public debt in time of peace be sedulously avoided. A wise and patriotic constituency will never object to the imposition of necessary burdens for useful ends, and true wisdom dictates the resort to such means in order to supply deficiencies in the revenue, rather than to those doubtful expedients which, ultimating in a public debt, serve to embarrass the resources of the country and to lessen its ability to meet any great emergency which may arise. All sinecures should be abolished. The appropriations should be direct and explicit, so as to leave as limited a share of discretion to the disbursing agents as may be found compatible with the public service. A strict responsibility on the part of all the agents of the Government should be maintained and peculation or defalcation visited with immediate expulsion from office and the most condign punishment.

在處理財(cái)政支出時(shí)，應(yīng)當(dāng)盡最大可能堅(jiān)持勤儉節(jié)約，這帶給我們的好處之一便是和平時(shí)期不必再償還債務(wù)。一位聰明而愛國的選民絕對(duì)不會(huì)反感為必要目標(biāo)而征收的稅款，真正有智慧的人會(huì)采取這種方法彌補(bǔ)收入不足，而不是采用發(fā)行國債，這種導(dǎo)致國家的資源儲(chǔ)備陷入困境，應(yīng)對(duì)緊急情況的能力遭到削弱這種難以預(yù)測(cè)的救急之法。所有吃空餉的閑職都應(yīng)廢除。政府撥款應(yīng)確保直接精準(zhǔn)到賬，撥款交于分配者代理保管時(shí)，要盡可能限制代管者的權(quán)力，這樣才符合政府部門的要求。所有代管人都應(yīng)認(rèn)真負(fù)責(zé)，一旦查有任何私吞、挪用公款的行為，將立刻開除公職，并給予相應(yīng)的適當(dāng)懲罰。

The public interest also demands that if any war has existed between the Government and the currency it shall cease. Measures of a financial character now having the sanction of legal enactment shall be faithfully enforced until repealed by the legislative authority. But I owe it to myself to declare that I regard existing enactments as unwise and impolitic and in a high degree oppressive. I shall promptly give my sanction to any constitutional measure which, originating in Congress, shall have for its object the restoration of a sound circulating medium, so essentially necessary to give confidence in all the transactions of life, to secure to industry its just and adequate rewards, and to reestablish the public prosperity. In deciding upon the adaptation of any such measure to the end proposed, as well as its conformity to the Constitution, I shall resort to the fathers of the great republican school for advice and instruction, to be drawn from their sage views of our system of government and the light of their ever-glorious example.

在政府與通貨發(fā)生沖突時(shí)，為維護(hù)公眾利益，應(yīng)予以立即制止。先下法案已通過的財(cái)政措施應(yīng)得到充分執(zhí)行，直到其被議會(huì)廢除為止。但是我應(yīng)當(dāng)聲明，我認(rèn)為我們現(xiàn)行的法律既不明智也不符合我國政治制度，在很大程度上甚至可以說是壓迫。我會(huì)即刻批準(zhǔn)國會(huì)提出的一些合憲措施，以恢復(fù)正常的經(jīng)濟(jì)循環(huán)模式，如要重建人民對(duì)生活交易的信心，保障各行各業(yè)能夠充分得到其應(yīng)有收入，恢復(fù)國家繁榮之景，這一措施必不可少。在采取相關(guān)措施時(shí)，應(yīng)當(dāng)考慮其是否可達(dá)成我們的目標(biāo)，是否符合憲法，就這一點(diǎn)我將以我們偉大共和派的先輩們?yōu)閰⒖贾笇?dǎo)，以他們智慧的視角看待政府制度，追隨他們立下的光輝榜樣。

The institutions under which we live, my countrymen, secure each person in the perfect enjoyment of all his rights. The spectacle is exhibited to the world of a government deriving its powers from the consent of the governed and having imparted to it only so much power as is necessary for its successful operation. Those who are charged with its administration should carefully abstain from all attempts to enlarge the range of powers thus granted to the several departments of the Government other than by an appeal to the people for additional grants, lest by so doing they disturb that balance which the patriots and statesmen who framed the Constitution designed to establish between the Federal Government and the States composing the Union. The observance of these rules is enjoined upon us by that feeling of reverence and affection which finds a place in the heart of every patriot for the preservation of union and the blessings of union--for the good of our children and our children's children through countless generations. An opposite course could not fail to generate factions intent upon the gratification of their selfish ends, to give birth to local and sectional jealousies, and to ultimate either in breaking asunder the bonds of union or in building up a central system which would inevitably end in a bloody scepter and an iron crown.

同胞們，在我們生活的制度下，所有人都可以享有自己的所有權(quán)利。一個(gè)政府從被統(tǒng)治者手中僅獲取足以維持其正常運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)所需的有限權(quán)力，這堪稱是展現(xiàn)在世人面前的奇景。政府管理人員應(yīng)杜絕任何有可能侵犯其他部門下轄領(lǐng)域的行為，除非得到了人民授權(quán)，否則就破壞了愛國制憲者們的用意，即使聯(lián)邦政府和聯(lián)邦各州平權(quán)。我們應(yīng)當(dāng)懷疑崇敬和愛戴的心情遵守這些規(guī)定，如果這種心情根植于每一位愛國者心中，聯(lián)邦及其利益便可以得到保障——我們子孫后代的利益也能有所保障。如反其道而行之，很難不會(huì)出現(xiàn)各派系為一己私利而相互敵視對(duì)抗，聯(lián)邦要么瓦解，要么被一個(gè)中央集權(quán)政府取而代之，最終不可避免地走向殘暴君主和血腥王冠統(tǒng)治的結(jié)局。

In conclusion I beg you to be assured that I shall exert myself to carry the foregoing principles into practice during my administration of the Government, and, confiding in the protecting care of an everwatchful and overruling Providence, it shall be my first and highest duty to preserve unimpaired the free institutions under which we live and transmit them to those who shall succeed me in their full force and vigor.

最后，我希望大家相信我會(huì)在治國理政時(shí)會(huì)不遺余力地執(zhí)行上述原則，我相信注視萬物、統(tǒng)治一切的上帝會(huì)護(hù)佑我國，我會(huì)將保護(hù)我們生活的自由制度不受侵害，并確保這一制度被交給同樣傾盡全力，充滿活力的后繼者，作為我的首要使命。

聲明：本人僅按照原文翻譯內(nèi)容，演講內(nèi)容不代表本人觀點(diǎn)。此專欄僅供歷史和英語交流學(xué)習(xí)使用，任何讀者皆可引用本人的譯本。

希望來學(xué)習(xí)英語的觀眾明白：我覺得這些專欄的主要精華在于英語原文，而并非我的譯本，我的譯本很大程度上只是供來學(xué)習(xí)歷史的觀眾使用的。本人的英語水平一般，翻譯得并不會(huì)多么精彩，只能在你看不懂時(shí)來幫助你了解這些演講內(nèi)容最基本的意思，而且翻譯時(shí)難免會(huì)出現(xiàn)差錯(cuò)，切勿直接完全以我的譯本為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。如發(fā)現(xiàn)有翻譯錯(cuò)誤或者歧義內(nèi)容，歡迎指正。

希望來學(xué)習(xí)歷史的觀眾明白：任何歷史人物都有一定的局限性，隨著時(shí)代發(fā)展，很多觀點(diǎn)看法可能已經(jīng)不再適用今天的世界，西方的觀點(diǎn)也不一定適用于我們。通過了解這些演講，僅可給我們提供一個(gè)更全面了解過去和世界的渠道。我們可以從優(yōu)秀的歷史、當(dāng)代人物身上學(xué)到很多，但是請(qǐng)保持獨(dú)立思考，理性看待演講內(nèi)容，切勿全信或?qū)⑵浞顬檎胬怼?