Inaugural Address of Franklin PierceWord文件下载.docx
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Inaugural Address of Franklin PierceWord文件下载.docx
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FRIDAY,MARCH4,1853
MyCountrymen:
ItarelieftofeelthatnoheartbutmyowncanknowthepersonalregretandbittersorrowoverwhichIhavebeenbornetoapositionsosuitableforothersratherthandesirableformyself.
ThecircumstancesunderwhichIhavebeencalledforalimitedperiodtopresideoverthedestiniesoftheRepublicfillmewithaprofoundsenseofresponsibility,butwithnothinglikeshrinkingapprehension.Irepairtothepostassignedmenotastoonesought,butinobediencetotheunsolicitedexpressionofyourwill,answerableonlyforafearless,faithful,anddiligentexerciseofmybestpowers.Ioughttobe,andam,trulygratefulfortheraremanifestationofthenation'
sconfidence;
butthis,sofarfromlighteningmyobligations,onlyaddstotheirweight.Youhavesummonedmeinmyweakness;
youmustsustainmebyyourstrength.Whenlookingforthefulfillmentofreasonablerequirements,youwillnotbeunmindfulofthegreatchangeswhichhaveoccurred,evenwithinthelastquarterofacentury,andtheconsequentaugmentationandcomplexityofdutiesimposedintheadministrationbothofyourhomeandforeignaffairs.
WhethertheelementsofinherentforceintheRepublichavekeptpacewithitsunparalleledprogressioninterritory,population,andwealthhasbeenthesubjectofearnestthoughtanddiscussiononbothsidesoftheocean.Lessthansixty-fouryearsagotheFatherofhisCountrymade"
the"
then"
recentaccessionoftheimportantStateofNorthCarolinatotheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates"
oneofthesubjectsofhisspecialcongratulation.Atthatmoment,however,whentheagitationconsequentupontheRevolutionarystrugglehadhardlysubsided,whenwewerejustemergingfromtheweaknessandembarrassmentsoftheConfederation,therewasanevidentconsciousnessofvigorequaltothegreatmissionsowiselyandbravelyfulfilledbyourfathers.Itwasnotapresumptuousassurance,butacalmfaith,springingfromaclearviewofthesourcesofpowerinagovernmentconstitutedlikeours.Itisnoparadoxtosaythatalthoughcomparativelyweakthenew-bornnationwasintrinsicallystrong.Inconsiderableinpopulationandapparentresources,itwasupheldbyabroadandintelligentcomprehensionofrightsandanall-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,themostanimatingencouragementandpotentappealforfreedomwillbeitsownhistory--itstrialsanditstriumphs.Preeminently,thepowerofouradvocacyreposesinourexample;
butnoexample,beitremembered,canbepowerfulforlastinggood,whateverapparentadvantagesmaybegained,whichisnotbaseduponeternalprinciplesofrightandjustice.Ourfathersdecidedforthemselves,bothuponthehourtodeclareandthehourtostrike.Theyweretheirownjudgesofthecircumstancesunderwhichitbecamethemtopledgetoeachother"
theirlives,theirfortunes,andtheirsacredhonor"
fortheacquisitionofthepricelessinheritancetransmittedtous.Theenergywithwhichthatgreatconflictwasopenedand,undertheguidanceofamanifestandbeneficentProvidencetheuncomplainingendurancewithwhichitwasprosecutedtoitsconsummationwereonlysurpassedbythewisdomandpatrioticspiritofconcessionwhichcharacterizedallthecounselsoftheearlyfathers.
Oneofthemostimpressiveevidencesofthatwisdomistobefoundinthefactthattheactualworkingofoursystemhasdispelledadegreeofsolicitudewhichattheoutsetdisturbedboldheartsandfar-reachingintellects.Theapprehensionofdangersfromextendedterritory,multipliedStates,accumulatedwealth,andaugmentedpopulationhasprovedtobeunfounded.Thestarsuponyourbannerhavebecomenearlythreefoldtheiroriginalnumber;
yourdenselypopulatedpossessionsskirttheshoresofthetwogreatoceans;
andyetthisvastincreaseofpeopleandterritoryhasnotonlyshownitselfcompatiblewiththeharmoniousactionoftheStatesandFederalGovernmentintheirrespectiveconstitutionalspheres,buthasaffordedanadditionalguarantyofthestrengthandintegrityofboth.
Withanexperiencethussuggestiveandcheering,thepolicyofmyAdministrationwillnotbecontrolledbyanytimidforebodingsofevilfromexpansion.Indeed,itisnottobedisguisedthatourattitudeasanationandourpositiononthegloberendertheacquisitionofcertainpossessionsnotwithinourjurisdictioneminentlyimportantforourprotection,ifnotinthefutureessentialforthepreservationoftherightsofcommerceandthepeaceoftheworld.Shouldtheybeobtained,itwillbethroughnograspingspirit,butwithaviewtoobviousnationalinterestandsecurity,andinamannerentirelyconsistentwiththestrictestobservanceofnationalfaith.Wehavenothinginourhistoryorpositiontoinviteaggression;
wehaveeverythingtobeckonustothecultivationofrelationsofpeaceandamitywithallnations.Purposes,therefore,atoncejustandpacificwillbesignificantlymarkedintheconductofourforeignaffairs.IintendthatmyAdministrationshallleavenoblotuponourfairrecord,andtrustImaysafelygivetheassurancethatnoactwithinthelegitimatescopeofmyconstitutionalcontrolwillbetoleratedonthepartofanyportionofourcitizenswhichcannotchallengeareadyjustificationbeforethetribunalofthecivilizedworld.AnAdministrationwouldbeunworthyofconfidenceathomeorrespectabroadshoulditceasetobeinfluencedbytheconvictionthatnoapparentadvantagecanbepurchasedatapricesodearasthatofnationalwrongordishonor.Itisnotyourprivilegeasanationtospeakofadistantpast.Thestrikingincidentsofyourhistory,repletewithinstructionandfurnishingabundantgroundsforhopefulconfidence,arecomprisedinaperiodcomparativelybrief.Butifyourpastislimited,yourfutureisboundless.Itsobligationsthrongtheunexploredpathwayofadvancement,andwillbelimitlessasduration.Henceasoundandcomprehensivepolicyshouldembracenotlessthedistantfuturethantheurgentpresent.
Thegreatobjectsofourpursuitasapeoplearebesttobeattainedbypeace,andareentirelyconsistentwiththetranquillityandinterestsoftherestofmankind.Withtheneighboringnationsuponourcontinentweshouldcultivatekindlyandfraternalrelations.Wecandesirenothinginregardtothemsomuchastoseethemconsolidatetheirstrengthandpursuethepathsofprosperityandhappiness.Ifinthecourseoftheirgrowthweshouldopennewchannelsoftradeandcreateadditionalfacilitiesforfriendlyintercourse,thebenefitsrealizedwillbeequalandmutual.OfthecomplicatedEuropeansystemsofnationalpolitywehaveheretoforebeenindependent.Fromtheirwars,theirtumults,andanxietieswehavebeen,happily,almostentirelyexempt.Whilsttheseareconfinedtothenationswhichgavethemexistence,andwithintheirlegitimatejurisdiction,theycannotaffectusexceptastheyappealtooursympathiesinthecauseofhumanfreedomanduniversaladvancement.Butthevastinterestsofcommercearecommontoallmankind,andtheadvantagesoftradeandinternationalintercoursemustalwayspresentanoblefieldforthemoralinfluenceofagreatpeople.
Withtheseviewsfirmlyandhonestlycarriedout,wehavearighttoexpect,andshallunderallcircumstancesrequire,promptreciprocity.Therightswhichbelongtousasanationarenotalonetoberegarded,butthosewhichpertaintoeverycitizeninhisindividualcapacity,athomeandabroad,mustbesacredlymaintained.Solongashecandiscerneverystarinitsplaceuponthatensign,withoutwealthtopurchaseforhimprefermentortitletosecureforhimplace,itwillbehisprivilege,andmustbehisacknowledgedright,tostandunabashedeveninthepresenceofprinces,withaproudconsciousnessthatheishimselfoneofanationofsovereignsandthathecannotinlegitimatepursuitwandersofarfromhomethattheagentwhomheshallleavebehindintheplacewhichInowoccupywillnotseethatnorudehandofpowerortyrannicalpassionislaiduponhimwithimpunity.Hemustrealizethatuponeveryseaandoneverysoilwhereourenterprisemayrightfullyseektheprotec
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