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亨利ˇ海兰德ˇ加尼特
(HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET)
对美利坚合衆国黑奴们的演说
An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America
Harriet Tubman (最左边)与其救出 300 名奴隶中的部分黑奴
你们的信条是抵抗ˇ抵抗! 抵抗ˇ
亨利ˇ海兰德ˇ加尼特(1815ˇ1882)出生在马里兰州一个奴隶种植园里。他九岁时ˇ与父亲一起在公谊会教友的帮助下逃往纽约市。他在纽约乌提卡附近的奥奈达神学院爲将来的牧师生涯接受教育。加尼特是美国最知名的废奴主义者之一ˇ常到英格兰和苏格兰发表演说。
1843年在纽约的布法罗召开了全国黑人大会。会上他作了他最著名的演讲《造反呼吁》。他号召非洲血统的美国人ˇ无论是奴隶还是自由人ˇ将抵抗作爲和奴隶制斗争的座右铭ˇ必要的话应举行武装暴动。演说使当时保守的黑人领袖大爲震惊ˇ大会以一票之差没有将加尼特的呼吁通过作爲正式决议。但是黑人的斗志由此高扬起来。四年之后ˇ另一次全国大会在纽约的特洛伊召开ˇ通过了加尼特类似的号召。
1865年ˇ加尼特成了第一位在衆议院讲道的黑人牧师。他去世前在利比里亚传教。
你们在北部、东部和西部的同胞们常常举行全国大会表达对彼此的同情之心ˇ爲你们的不幸处境哭泣流泪。在这些大会上ˇ我们ˇ所有自由的阶级发出了呼吁ˇ但还从未对你们说过一句慰问和建议之词。我们迄今只停留在按兵不动地对你们的苦难表示哀痛ˇ诚心希望神圣的自由早该回到你们身边但是ˇ我们的希望落空了。时光已经流逝ˇ成千上万的人们在血流冲刷着的永恒的海滩上降生。你们所经历的压迫我们愿同身受ˇ只要你们还是奴隶ˇ我们就谈不上自由。因此ˇ正因爲我们彼此命运ˇ连ˇ我们就ˇ你们写下这番话。
你们之中许多人和我们命运ˇ连ˇ不仅是由于我们之间有人性的共同纽带ˇ而且还因爲我们之间存有父母、妻子、丈夫、姐妹和朋友的更具亲情的关系。因此ˇ我们满腔挚爱地ˇ你们说话。
奴隶制在你们和我们之间挖下了一条深沟ˇ它使你们受不到你们的朋友们乐意给予的同情和抚慰ˇ更使你们遭受到在魔鬼横行的地狱里都罕见的磨难和迫害。但是ˇ仁慈、万能的天父还是留给了我们一ˇ希望之光ˇ在阴云密布的空中闪耀着孤星似的微亮。人类正在变得愈来愈聪慧、善良ˇˇ压迫者的势力正在ˇ弱ˇ你们也一天天耳目灵通ˇ力量日益壮大。兄弟姐妹们ˇ你们有许许多多的哀怨ˇ在这篇短短的发言里ˇ我们不能期望ˇ这个世界列数这个国家里出ˇ的所有罪恶ˇ而这也实在没有必要ˇ因爲这是你们每天都感受到的ˇ这个世界全体文明的人们也惊愕不已地目睹了这些罪恶。
二百二十七年前ˇ我们饱受伤害的民族首次被带到美洲的海滩上来。他们并非是心怀喜悦地来这个新世界里建立家园的。他们也并非是心甘情愿地来这里接受这片丰饶的土地给予他们天伦ˇ乐之祝福的。他们与那些自称基督徒的人第一次打交道ˇ就感受到了腐败、ˇˇ透顶的人心种种。他们也因此确认ˇ在贪欲的驱使下ˇ那怕在文明人的眼里ˇ任何残忍、任何邪恶、任何劫掠都是不足爲过的。他们也不是乘着自由的双翼来到一片自由的乐土上来的。ˇ反ˇ他们怀着一颗颗破碎的心远离亲爱的故土来到这里ˇ辛勤劳作ˇ毫无报偿。沦落在悲惨的深渊。即便是死亡都不能解脱他们身上的枷锁ˇ因爲枷锁一代又一代地ˇ传下去。成百上千万的人们从混沌降生于世ˇ再回到魂灵的世界ˇ一辈子受美国奴隶制度的诅咒和摧残。
奴隶制的繁衍者和他们的接班人们很快就发ˇ了这个制度愈发膨胀的邪恶ˇ也私下许诺说要将其摧毁。ˇ在拥有奴隶的民族自己原来是爲了自由才“漂洋来此”的ˇ他们严重的自ˇ矛盾如此ˇ而易见ˇ不容全然忽视。自由之声ˇ群暗溃骸敖夥拍忝堑呐ˇァ保蝗嗣侨壤嵊ˇˇ匕Ц媸头爬醋苑侵薜淖铀锩牵恢腔叟ˇ褡ˇ氐靥岢ˇˇ目仪螅涣ˇˇ那ˇ矫呛霸ˇ星ˇ嫦蚨宰攀ˇ旨芡纯蘖ˇ榈幕浇桃澹灰ˇ突ˇ蛘飧ˇ穸镜闹贫冉ˇ逅ˇ迹簧喜缘缟晾酌ˇ闯鸬幕鹧婧ˇˇ闯ˇˇ牢ˇづˇブ谱锒竦谋氨芍ˇ健Ｈ欢ˇˇ姓庖磺卸纪饺晃薰ΑＥˇブ苹故钦箍ˇ怂岷诘乃劳ˇ岚颍ˇ谡饪橥恋厣ˇ谔旄侨铡ˇ袒嵩谛涫峙怨郓ぉそ淌糠ˇˇ榧俚脑ぱ裕ˇˇ嗣怯智樵溉绱恕Ｅˇブ频耐ˇˇ狄呀ˇⅲˇ持卧谖眨ˇ靡夥浅ˇˇ/font>
法律和舆论(在这个国家它比法律还强大)禁止近三百万你们的公民同胞读《生命之书》。你们的智慧尽其可能地被摧残。他们企图掐灭你们心存的一丝火花。压迫者们自己在此企图中也身ˇ囹圄。他们变得软弱无能、荒淫无耻、贪得无厌ˇˇ他们诅咒了你们ˇ他们也诅咒了自己ˇ他们还诅咒了他们践踏在脚下的大地。
奴隶制ˇ这三个字包藏了多少灾难ˇ哪一颗心不会在这令人毛骨悚然的三个字前抽搐痉挛?人人珍藏热爱自由之心ˇ除非上帝的形ˇ已在人的灵魂中抹去。一个在刚果的野地里漫跑、未开化的非洲人ˇ对自由权利的热爱丝毫不亚于一个目光炯炯的政治经济学家ˇ每个人同其它任何人一样都有充分ˇ受自由的权利。自由的种子孕育在每个人的心田里。谁将他的同胞贬置于对奴隶制心满意足的境地ˇ谁就对上帝和人类犯下了滔天罪行。
弟兄们时机已到ˇ你们该爲自己行动起来了。老话说得对ˇ“世代奴隶要ˇ自由ˇ就该打出自己的拳头。”你们能够爲自己的事业摇旗ˇ群埃ˇ芄槐绕渌魏稳烁ˇ#29234;自己赢得解放……ˇˇ非洲这个古老的名字所
蕴含着的不朽的光辉吧ˇˇˇ也别忘了自己是土生土长的美国公民。既然如此ˇ你们理应ˇ受赋予最自由的人们的所有权利。ˇˇ看你们含辛茹苦却一无所得ˇ用自己的鲜血养肥的这块土地上你们挥洒了多少的泪水ˇ然后ˇ找到趾高气扬的奴隶主们ˇ直截了当地说你们决心已定ˇ要自由。唤醒他们的正义感ˇ对他们说他们没有权利压迫你们ˇ正如你们没有权利奴役他们一样。要求他们卸掉强加在你们身上的重负。赋予你们的劳动以报偿。答应他们说如果你们的劳动得到了应有的报偿ˇ你们是会重新在土地上辛勤耕耘的。告诉他们ˇ《解放法案》在英属西印度群岛公布后ˇ给当地带来了更多的快乐和繁荣。明确无误地对他们说奴隶制罪恶滔天ˇ将受到末日审判ˇ受到愤怒的上帝给予的应得报应。告诉他们你们要求的是自由ˇ其它任何东西都不足使你们满意。就这样做吧ˇ再也不要爲那些鞭
笞辱駡你们、让你们一无所有的恶霸卖命了。要是他们爲此ˇ置你们于死地ˇ那麽ˇ应承当后果的不是你们ˇ而是他们。如果你们ˇ继续生爲奴隶、让你们的后代继续遭受你们的苦难ˇ那你们最好一死了事ˇˇˇ在就死吧。
同胞们ˇ默默的受难者们ˇ请注意ˇ你们最宝贵的权利正惨遭作贱ˇ你们的儿女们正受到杀戮ˇ你们的妻子、母亲和姐妹正沦爲娼妓。以上帝的名义ˇ爲了珍贵的生命ˇ让我们再也不要争论选择自由还是死亡孰好孰坏了。
1822年ˇ南卡罗来纳州的登马克ˇ维希爲解放他的同胞订立了一个计划。在整个人类历史上还从未有人爲推翻奴隶制的统治而制订出比这更ˇ尽、更宏伟的计划了。然而ˇ他自己的同胞背信弃义告发了他。维希死爲自由的烈士。许多勇敢的英雄们倒下了ˇ但历史信守她的职责ˇ将他们的英名携刻在摩西、汉普登、退尔、布鲁斯、华莱士、图森一路维杜尔、拉菲特、华盛顿等人的同一座纪念碑上。
纳撒尼尔ˇ特纳是登马克ˇ维希的追随者。邪恶和不公把他逼得走投无路。专制暴政将他的名字钉在耻辱柱上ˇ而人民却世代景仰他ˇ将他视爲高尚、无畏的人。接下来是不朽的约瑟夫ˇ辛克ˇ阿密斯达的勇士。他在非洲土生土长。在上帝的护佑下ˇ他在公海解救了整整一艘船的同胞弟兄。此时ˇ在非洲阳光铺洒的山峰上ˇ在故ˇ的棕桐树下ˇ高歌欢唱自由ˇ聆听雄狮的吼叫ˇ感到自己与森林之王一样自由自在。
还有麦迪逊ˇ华盛顿ˇ那颗自由的明星ˇ在真正英雄主义的星座上占有一席之地。他与一百零四名其它黑奴一起关在里士满的“克里奥”号双桅帆船上ˇ运往奴隶大市场新奥尔良州。他们十九个人拼死爲自由而搏斗ˇ结果死了一人ˇ而全体其它人都得到了解放。帆船最后驶住新普罗维登斯的拿骚。
高尚的人们ˇ些爲自由而ˇ身者ˇ真诚而敬畏上帝的子孙后代会永世铭记着他们的。那些活着的人们ˇ他们的名字环绕着荣誉的ˇ光。
弟兄们ˇ站起来ˇ站起来吧ˇ爲你们的生命和自由战斗吧!时机巳来临ˇ让这块土地上的每一个奴隶都起身战斗ˇ奴隶制灭亡之日不会久远了。你们已受尽了压迫ˇ你们已受尽了残暴ˇ宁可死爲自由人ˇ不可生爲奴隶。记住ˇ你们有四百万人ˇ
你们的信条是抵抗!抵抗ˇ抵抗ˇ受压迫者没有不经抵抗而获得自由的。采取什麽方式来抵抗ˇ则要根据你们所处的具体情况而定ˇ也要见机行事。弟兄们ˇ再见吧ˇ望你们坚信无所不在的上帝ˇ望你们爲人类的和平而努力。记住ˇ你们有四百万人ˇ
An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America
Your
brethren of the North, East, and West have been accustomed to meet together in
National Conventions, to sympathize with each other, and to weep over your
unhappy condition. In these meetings we have addressed all classes of the free,
but we have never, until this time, sent a word of consolation and advice to
you. We have been contented in sitting still and mourning over your sorrows,
earnestly hoping that before this day your sacred liberties would have been
restored. But, we have hoped in vain. Years have rolled on, and tens of
thousands have been borne on streams of blood and tears to the shores of
eternity. While you have been oppressed, we have also been partakers with you;
nor can we be free while you are enslaved. We, therefore, write to you as being
bound with you.
Many of
you are bound to us, not only by the ties of a common humanity, but we are
connected by the more tender relations of parents, wives, husbands, and sisters,
and friends. As such we most affectionately address you.
Slavery
has fixed a deep gulf between you and us, and while it shuts out from you the
relief and consolation which your friends would willingly render, it afflicts
and persecutes you with a fierceness which we might not expect to see in fiends
of hell. But still the Almighty Father of mercies has left to us a glimmering
ray of hope, which shines out like a lone star in a cloudy sky. Mankind are
becoming wiser, and better--the oppressor's power is fading, and you, every day,
are becoming better informed, and more numerous. Your grievances, brethren, are
many. We shall not attempt, in this short address, to present to the world all
the dark catalogue of the nation's sins, which have been committed upon an
innocent people. Nor is it indeed necessary, for you feel them from day to day,
and all the civilized world looks upon them with amazement.
Two
hundred and twenty-seven years ago the first of our injured race were brought to
the shores of America. They came not with glad spirits to select their homes in
the New World. They came not with their own consent, to find an unmolested
enjoyment of the blessings of this fruitful soil. The first dealings they had
with men calling themselves Christians exhibited to them the worst features of
corrupt and sordid hearts: and convinced them that no cruelty is too great, no
villainy and no robbery too abhorrent for even enlightened men to perform, when
influenced by avarice and lust. Neither did they come flying upon the wings of
Liberty to a land of freedom. But they came with broken hearts, from their
beloved native land, and were doomed to unrequited toil and deep degradation.
Nor did the evil of their bondage end at their emancipation by death. Succeeding
generations inherited their chains, and millions have come from eternity into
time, and have returned again to the world of spirits, cursed and ruined by
American slavery.
The
propagators of the system, or their immediate successors, very soon discovered
its growing evil, and its tremendous wickedness, and secret promises were made
to destroy it. The gross inconsistency of a people holding slaves, who had
themselves "ferried o'er the wave" for freedom's sake, was too apparent to be
entirely overlooked. The voice of Freedom cried, "Emancipate your slaves."
Humanity supplicated with tears for the deliverance of the children of Africa.
Wisdom urged her solemn plea. The bleeding captive plead his innocence, and
pointed to Christianity who stood weeping at the cross. Jehovah frowned upon the
nefarious institution, and thunderbolts, red with vengeance, struggled to leap
forth to blast the guilty wretches who maintained it. But all was vain. Slavery
had stretched its dark wings of death over the land, the Church stood silently
by--the priests prophesied falsely, and the people loved to have it so. Its
throne is established, and now it reigns triumphant.
Nearly
three millions of your fellow-citizens are prohibited by law and public opinion
(which in this country is stronger than law) from reading the Book of Life. Your
intellect has been destroyed as much as possible, and every ray of light they
have attempted to shut out from your minds. The oppressors themselves have
become involved in the ruin. They have become weak, sensual, and rapacious--they
have cursed you--they have cursed themselves--they have cursed the earth which
they have trod. . . .
SIAVERY!
How much misery is comprehended in that single word. What mind is there that
does not shrink from its direful effects? Unless the image of God be obliterated
from the soul, all men cherish the love of liberty. The nice discerning
political economist does not regard the sacred right more than the untutored
African who roams in the wilds of Congo. Nor has the one more right to the full
enjoyment of his freedom than the other. In every man's mind the good seeds of
liberty are planted, and he who brings his fellow down so low, as to make him
contented with a condition of slavery, commits the highest crime against God and
man. . . .
Brethren, the time has come when you must act for yourselves. It is an old and
true saying that, "if hereditary bondmen would be free, they must themselves
strike the blow." You can plead your own cause, and do the work of emancipation
better than any others. . . . Think of the undying glory that hangs around the
ancient name of Africa--and forget not that you are native-born American
citizens, and as such you are justly entitled to all the rights that are granted
to the freest. Think how many tears you have poured out upon the soil which you
have cultivated with unrequited toil and enriched with your blood; and then go
to your lordly enslavers and tell them plainly, that you are determined to be
free. Appeal to their sense of justice, and tell them that they have no more
right to oppress you than you have to enslave them. Entreat them to remove the
grievous burdens which they have imposed upon you, and to remunerate you for
your labor. Promise them renewed diligence in the cultivation of the soil, if
they will render to you an equivalent for your services. Point them to the
increase of happiness and prosperity in the British West Indies since the Act of
Emancipation. Tell them in language which they cannot misunderstand of the
exceeding sinfulness of slavery, and of a future judgment, and of the righteous
retributions of an indignant God. Inform them that all you desire is FREEDOM,
and that nothing else will suffice. Do this, and forever after cease to toil for
the heartless tyrants, who give you no other reward but stripes and abuse. If
they then commence work of death, they, and not you, will be responsible for the
consequences. You had far better all die--die immediately, than live slaves, and
entail your wretchedness upon your posterity....
Fellowmen! patient sufferers! behold your dearest rights crushed to the earth!
See your sons murdered, and your wives, mothers and sisters doomed to
prostitution. In the name of the merciful God, and by all that life is worth.
let it no longer be a debatable question, whether it is better to choose liberty
or death.
In
1822, Denmark Veazie, of South Carolina, formed a plan for the liberation of his
fellowmen. In the whole history of human efforts to overthrow slavery, a more
complicated and tremendous plan was never formed. He was betrayed by the
treachery of his own people, and died a martyr to freedom. Many a brave hero
fell, but history, faithful to her high trust, will transcribe his name on the
same monument with Moses, Hampden, Tell, Bruce, and Wallace. Toussaint
L'Ouverture, Lafayette, and Washington. ...
The
patriotic Nathaniel Turner followed Denmark Veazie. He was goaded to desperation
by wrong and injustice. By despotism, his name has been recorded on the list of
infamy, and future generations will remember him among the noble and brave.
Next
arose the immortal Joseph Cinque, the hero of the Amistad. He was a native
African, and by the help of God he emancipated a whole ship-load of his
fellowmen on the high seas. And he now sings of liberty on the sunny hills of
Africa and beneath his native palm-trees, where he hears the lion roar and feels
himself as free as the king of the forest.
Next
arose Madison Washington, that bright star of freedom, and took his station in
the constellation of true heroism. He was a slave on board the brig Creole, of
Richmond, bound to New Orleans, that great slave mart, with a hundred and four
others. Nineteen struck for liberty or death. But one life was taken, and the
whole were emancipated, and the vessel was carried into Nassau, New Providence.
Noble
men! Those who have fallen in freedom's conflict, their memories will be
cherished by the true-hearted and the God-fearing in all future generations;
those who are living, their names are surrounded by a halo of glory.
Brethren, arise, arise! Strike for your lives and liberties. Now is the day and
the hour. Let every slave throughout the land do this, and the days of slavery
are numbered. You cannot be more oppressed than you have been--you cannot suffer
greater cruelties than you have already. Rather die freemen than live to be
slaves. Remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS! . . .
Let
your motto be resistance! resistance! RESISTANCE! No oppressed people have ever
secured their liberty without resistance. What kind of resistance you had better
make you must decide by the circumstances that surround you, and according to
the suggestion of expediency. Brethren, adieu! Trust in the living God. Labor
for the peace of the human race, and remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS!
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