安吉莉娜ˇ格里姆凯
(ANGELINA GRIMKE)

对奴隶制作证
Bearing Witness Against Slavery

作爲南方人ˇ我感到今晚我有责任站出来对奴隶制作证。这是我亲眼所见ˇ这是我亲眼所见ˇ

安吉莉娜ˇ格里姆凯(1805ˇ1879)和她的姐姐萨拉是南卡罗来纳州查里斯顿的一个富裕、拥有奴隶制的贵族法官的女儿。青年时代起她们就憎恨奴隶制。后来她们搬到了费城ˇ成了公谊会教友ˇ积权参加废奴运动。1836年ˇ安吉莉娜ˇ格里姆凯写了一篇《致南方基督教妇女的呼吁书》。动员南方姐妹参加废除奴隶制的战斗。她的小册子在南卡罗来纳州被焚烧ˇ两姐妹也被警告说不许她们回到故ˇˇ否则就逮捕她们。

1838年5月16日ˇ安吉莉娜ˇ格里姆凯在费城的全国反对奴隶制大会上作了如下发言。仅在两天以前ˇ她刚与著名的废奴主义者西奥多ˇ韦尔德结了婚。大会召开前ˇ有人在城里到处张贴告示ˇ扬言说废奴运动反对者要捣毁举行会议的宾夕法尼亚礼堂。在大会召开的三天里ˇ礼堂外挤满了喧ˇ的人群ˇ有许多是从南方赶来的人和当地医学院南方籍的学生。格里姆凯发言时ˇ外面的人群连声起哄ˇ用石块投掷礼堂的窗户。第三天会议结束时ˇ衆人 冲进礼堂ˇ将它付之一炬。

你们要问ˇ“北方和奴隶制有什麽ˇ干?”那麽请你们听吧!听吧!外面的吵闹声告诉我们ˇ奴隶制的幽魂就在眼前ˇ由于我们的集会而怒气冲天ˇ而自由却肯定是犯不着这样唾沫横飞、怒发冲冠的ˇ因爲她的朋友与日俱增ˇ接二连三的集会将她的美德发扬光大ˇ将她和平安宁的疆土延至远方。反对我们的势力表明ˇ奴隶制深深毒害了公民们的心灵。于是你们又要问ˇ“北方应该做些什麽?”我的回答是ˇ首先ˇ把奴隶制的幽魂从你们的心中驱逐出去ˇ然后ˇ帮助南方人ˇ改变他们。在座的各位ˇ不论我们自己的境遇如何ˇ不论我们的手段多麽有ˇˇ也不论我们的影ˇ多麽微不足道ˇ都应当着手行动起来。这个国家的大人物们是不会行动的ˇ教会也决不会行动的。他们希望讨好世人ˇ希望迎合各个党派ˇ希望随遇而安ˇ所以就对奴隶制以及其它所有不受欢迎的问题缄默不语。

作爲南方人ˇ我感到今晚我有责任站出来对奴隶制作证。这是我亲眼所见ˇ这是我亲眼所见ˇ我知道它是如何无可形容地令人毛骨悚然!我是在它的羽翼下长大的。多年来我目睹了它是如何使人道德沦丧、如何毁灭着人间快乐的。我从未见过一个快乐的奴隶。诚然ˇ我见过奴隶戴着镣铐起舞ˇ但他们并不快乐。快乐和作乐是有很大区别的。一个人剥夺了做人的权利就无法ˇ受快乐。但是ˇ奴隶们却有可能作乐ˇ有时也作乐。在无望中他们说ˇ“让我们吃吧ˇ喝吧ˇ因爲明天我们就要死了。”[这时ˇ有人往窗户扔石头ˇˇ外面人声鼎沸ˇ会场里一片混乱。]

人们吵吵闹闹又怎样?所有的窗子都砸碎了又怎样?把这座礼堂夷爲了平地又怎样?难道这就证明了我们错了?难道这就证明了奴隶制是一个良好健康的制度?要是人们这时朝我们冲进来ˇ搅乱我们的集会ˇ对我们拳脚ˇ待ˇ这与奴隶们所经受的痛苦ˇ比又算得了什麽?不ˇ不。如果我们在危难中退缩。如果我们在奴隶需要我们自我牺牲时不愿付出牺牲ˇ那麽我们就忘记了他们是“和我们命运ˇ连”的。[喧闹声。]我感谢上帝ˇ生命尽管会对真理动怒ˇ却还继续感到了真理的存在ˇ良知还未全然泯灭以至不被无所不在的上帝的真理所感动。[外面又一次传来了呼喊叫駡声ˇ会场乱成一片。]

人心是如此地精明巧妙ˇ它尽一切可能地顽抗爲把自己从错误拯救出来的任何努力ˇ我觉得所有这一切骚扰恰恰证明了我们所做的努力是我们最好的选择。要不是这样ˇ我们维护奴隶制的朋友们就不会在乎我们的言行了。南方人知道我们的所作所爲ˇ应使我们欣慰的是我们的努力触动了他们。在故ˇ我曾多次爲奴隶制度掩面哭泣。但没有听说有谁与我的感觉共鸣ˇ我也不曾知道有谁爲了被压迫者的解放作过努力。在荒野中没有听到过号召人们悔过自新并爲此做出实际行动的呼唤。我自感痛心不已。啊ˇ要是我有曾听说有人作出了这样的努力ˇ该会使我多麽欢欣鼓舞ˇ只是不知我当时爲什麽会有这样的感觉。然而ˇ在诱惑的包围中我得以自持ˇ我的同情心日渐温暖ˇ对奴隶制的憎恨愈加很深蒂固ˇ直至我最后终于流离故土ˇ因爲我再也不忍心听到奴隶们的哀号声了。我逃到了宾州的土地上ˇ心ˇ在这里我定能找到对奴隶的同情心ˇ但我落空了。这里的人们和蔼可亲、热情好客ˇ可是他们的心中没有奴隶的容身之处。我只好将哀怨埋藏心底。我记得自己来自卡罗来纳州一个法律认可不平等的地方ˇ南方轻风阵阵、ˇ我吹来了刺耳的抽泣声、哀鸣声、惨叫声、呻吟声ˇ还夹杂着祈祷声、狠狠的咒駡声。我心头一沈ˇˇ到自己是在这一切令人厌恶的事物生长起来并接受教育的。怀着精神的苦痛ˇ我呼喊道ˇ“人们充耳不闻ˇ既无心又无意爲奴隶们祈祷ˇ那末我面ˇ他们陌生的眼光对他们揭露奴隶制的残酷和毒害又有什麽意义呢?但是ˇˇ在我的感觉又多麽不一样啊ˇ希望ˇ不ˇ自由必胜的信念和对人类美好的意愿使我振作起来。我要ˇ号角一样高声ˇ群埃ˇ嫠呶颐堑娜嗣窀米ˇˇˇ#40637;以影ˇ南方人的思ˇˇ最终推翻奴隶制。[呼喊声ˇ窗户上石雨如注。]

我们常听到有人间这样的问题ˇ“我们该做些什麽?”ˇ在时机已到。在座的各位男人、女人们ˇ可以动手了。我们要表明在狂暴的人群面前我们无所惧怕ˇ在辱駡和恐吓声中我们要爲濒临死亡的人们摇旗ˇ群啊Ｎ叶卮倜扛ˇ巳ヂ蛴泄卣飧ˇ侍獾氖榧ˇˇ亩了牵ˇ挂ˇ阉墙韪ˇ忝橇谌恕２灰ˇ侔涯忝堑那ˇˇ谥そ景梁吞坝亩ˇˇ狭耍ˇˇ颐堑那ˇ美瓷ˇァ霸谌嗣裉宦吨ˇ纳铣懔胰忌盏恼胬淼拿禾俊保ˇˇ颐堑那ˇ美创ˇ镂颐堑暮ˇˇˇ叫鸦酵矫峭ˇ榈牧贾ˇˇ/font>

有些人说我们的“书刊和传单说出的不是真理”。那麽请问ˇ爲什麽他们不来反驳我们的所言?他们做不到。更有甚者ˇ南方人恳求ˇ不ˇ他们诅咒我们ˇ叫我们住嘴。这样一来ˇ还有什麽更能证明我们的书刊传单说出的确爲真理呢?

费城的妇女ˇ请允许我以一个南方妇女的身份ˇ心怀对故土的深切留恋ˇ恳请你们着手行动起来。我特别要敦促你们展开请愿。男人们可以通过投票来解决这样那样的问题ˇ但你们还没有这种权利。只有通过请愿。你们才能把意见传达到立法机关。因此ˇ请愿就特别是你们的责任了。你们会说ˇ“这没什麽用ˇ但南方人已经因爲请愿书之多而面色苍白。他们查阅了有关国会程序的报告ˇ发ˇ请愿书中有许许多多来自北方妇女请愿奴隶制问题的。那些在奴隶们头上挥舞棍棒的男人在各立法班子中掌握定夺大权ˇ他们否认我们有请愿的权利ˇ告诫我们女性不要这麽不合体统。然而ˇ我们的上帝赋予了我们这些权利。让我们使用这些权利吧ˇ让我们牢记ˇ虽然请愿书往往被置之不理、束之高阁ˇ但那些不公正的法官们由于请愿书缠身还是不免受到影ˇ。因此ˇ让我们行动起来吧。南方人对我们的举措密切注视ˇ如临大敌ˇ这也说明了请愿是卓见成效的。所以ˇ没有理由怀疑ˇ没有理由绝望ˇ

在英国ˇ妇女在废除其殖民地奴隶制方面起了引人注目的重要作用。她们ˇ在也并非无所事事。无数的请愿书最近呈交 予女王ˇ要求废除残酷的徒工制度ˇ其残酷并不亚于它所替代的奴隶制。呈交的请愿书有一张竟长达二又四分之一英里。你们认爲这些事是徒劳的吗?让以往的历史来回答吧。当美国妇女们将这样一份请愿书交给国会时ˇ我们的立法者们会ˇ他们的英国同僚一样ˇ起身而立ˇ说道ˇ“这块土地上所有的妇女ˇ不论年长年少ˇ都来敲我们的门了ˇ我们该立法了。”让我们英国姐妹们的热忱、爱心、信念和努力激励我们加快步伐吧。这样ˇ当奴隶们还在受苦ˇ在他们要求解放时ˇ我们才会心境安宁ˇ因爲我们“做到了力所能及的一切。”

　

Bearing Witness Against Slavery

Do you ask, "What has the North to do with slavery?" Hear it, hear it! Those voices without tell us that the spirit of slavery is here, and has been roused to wrath by our Conventions; for surely liberty would not foam and tear herself with rage, because her friends are multiplied daily, and meetings are held in quick succession to set forth her virtues and extend her peaceful kingdom. This opposition show's that slavery has done its deadliest work in the hearts of our citizens. Do you ask, then, "What has the North to do?" I answer, cast out first the spirit of slavery from your own hearts, and then lend your aid to convert the South. Each one present has a work to do, be his or her situation what it may, however limited their means or insignificant their supposed influence. The great men of this country will not do this work; the Church will never do it. A desire to please the world, to keep the favor of all parties and of all conditions, makes them dumb on this and every other unpopular subject.

    As a Southerner, I feel that it is my duty to stand up here to-night and bear testimony against slavery. I have seen it! I have seen it! I know it has horrors that can never be described. I was brought up under its wing. I witnessed for many years its demoralizing influences and its destructiveness to human happiness. I have never seen a happy slave. I have seen him dance in his chains, it is true, but he was not happy. There is a wide difference between happiness and mirth. Man can not enjoy happiness while his manhood is destroyed. Slaves, however, may be. and sometimes are mirthful. When hope is extinguished, they say, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." [Here stones were thrown at the windows--a great noise without and commotion within.]

   What is a mob? what would the breaking of every window be? What would the levelling of this hall be? Any evidence that we are wrong, or that slavery is a good and wholesome institution? What if the mob should now burst in upon us, break up our meeting, and commit violence upon our persons, would that be anything compared with what the slaves endure? No, no; and we do not remember them, "as bound with them," if we shrink in the time of peril, or feel unwilling to sacrifice ourselves, if need be, for their sake. [Great noise.] I thank the Lord that there is yet life enough left to feel the truth, even though it rages at it; that conscience is not so completely seared as to be unmoved by the truth of the living God. [Another outbreak of the mob and confusion in the house.]

    How wonderfully constituted is the human mind! How it resists, as long as it can, all efforts to reclaim it from error! I feel that all this disturbance is but an evidence that our efforts are the best that could have been adopted, or else the friends of slavery would not care for what we say and do. The South know what we do. I am thankful that they are reached by our efforts. Many times have I wept in the land of my birth over the system of slavery. I knew of none who sympathized in my feelings; I was unaware that any efforts were made to deliver the oppressed; no voice in the wilderness was heard calling on the people to repent and do works meet for repentance, and my heart sickened within me. Oh, how should I have rejoiced to know that such efforts as these were being made. I only wonder that I had such feelings. But in the midst of temptation I was preserved, and my sympathy grew warmer, and my hatred of slavery more inveterate, until at last I have exiled myself from my native land, because I could no longer endure to hear the wailing of the slave.

    I fled to the land of Penn; for here, thought I, sympathy for the slave will surely be found. But I found it not. The people were kind and hospitable, but the slave had no place in their thoughts. I therefore shut up my grief in my own heart. I remembered that I was a Carolinian, from a State which framed this iniquity by law. Every Southern breeze wafted to me the discordant tones of weeping and wailing, shrieks and groans, mingled with prayers and blasphemous curses. My heart sank within me at the abominations in the midst of which I had been born and educated. What will it avail, cried I, in bitterness of spirit, to expose to the gaze of strangers the horrors and pollutions of slavery, when there is no ear to hear nor heart to feel and pray for the slave? But how different do I feel now! Animated with hope, nay, with an assurance of the triumph of liberty and good-will to man, I will lift up my voice like a trumpet, and show this people what they can do to influence the Southern mind and overthrow slavery. [Shouting, and stones against the windows.]

    We often hear the question asked, "What shall we do?" Here is an opportunity. Every man and every woman present may do something, by showing that we fear not a mob, and in the midst of revilings and threatenings, pleading the cause of those who are ready to perish. Let me urge every one to buy the books written on this subject; read them, and lend them to your neighbors. Give your money no longer for things which pander to pride and lust, but aid in scattering "the living coals of truth upon the naked heart of the nation"; in circulating appeals to the sympathies of Christians in behalf of the outraged slave.

    But it is said by some, our "books and papers do not speak the truth"; why, then, do they not contradict what we say? They can not. Moreover, the South has entreated, nay, commanded us, to be silent; and what greater evidence of the truth of our publications could be desired?

   Women of Philadelphia! allow me as a Southern woman, with much attachment to the land of my birth, to entreat you to come up to this work. Especially, let me urge you to petition. Men may settle this and other questions at the ballot-box, but you have no such right. It is only through petitions that you can reach the Legislature. It is, therefore, peculiarly your duty to petition. Do you say, "It does no good!" The South already turns pale at the number sent. They have read the reports of the proceedings of Congress, and there have seen that among other petitions were very many from the women of the North on the subject of slavery. Men who hold the rod over slaves rule in the councils of the nation; and they deny our right to petition and remonstrate against abuses of our sex and our kind. We have these rights, however, from our God. Only let us exercise them, and, though often turned away unanswered, let us remember the influence of importunity upon the unjust judge, and act accordingly. The fact that the South looks jealously upon our measures shows that they are effectual. There is, therefore, no cause for doubting or despair.

    It was remarked in England that women did much to abolish slavery in her colonies. Nor are they now idle. Numerous petitions from them have recently been presented to the Queen to abolish apprenticeship, with its cruelties, nearly equal to those of the system whose place it supplies. One petition, two miles and a quarter long, has been presented. And do you think these labors will be in vain? Let the history of the past answer. When the women of these States send up to Congress such a petition our legislators will arise, as did those of England, and say: "When all the maids and matrons of the land are knocking at our doors we must legislate." Let the zeal and love, the faith and works of our English sisters quicken ours; that while the slaves continue to suffer, and when they shout for deliverance, we may feel the satisfaction of "having done what we could."