独立宣言
The Declaration of Independence

(American Memory Collection, Library of Congress)

　

我们认爲下述真理是不言而喻的ˇ人人生而平等ˇ造物主赋予他们若干不可让与的权利ˇ其中包括生存权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。

托马斯。杰斐逊(1743ˇ1826)作爲一个包括约翰ˇ亚当斯和班哲明ˇ富兰克林在内的起草委员会的成员ˇ起草了美国《独立宣言》的第一稿。大陆议会对杰斐逊的草稿作了重大改动ˇ特别是在乔治亚州和南卡罗来纳州代表们的坚持下ˇ删去了他对英王乔治三世允许在殖民地存在奴隶制和奴隶买卖的有力谴责。(被删去的内容中一部分是这样写的ˇ“他ˇ人性本身发动了残酷的战争ˇ侵犯了一个从未冒犯过他的远方民族的最神圣的生存权和自由权ˇ他诱骗他们ˇ并把他们运往另一半球充当奴隶ˇ或使他们惨死在运送途中。”) 1776年7月4日ˇ大陆会议通过了这份宣言。

托马斯ˇ杰斐逊生于维吉尼亚一个富裕的家庭。他曾就读于威廉玛丽学院ˇ并于1767年在维吉尼亚获得律师资格。1769年ˇ他当选爲维吉尼亚下院议员ˇ并积极参加独立运动ˇ而且代表维吉尼亚出席大陆议会。他两次当选爲维吉尼亚州长ˇ还担任过美国驻法大使。1800年他竞选总统时ˇ与阿伦ˇ伯尔所得选举人票数ˇ等ˇ后由衆议院选择杰斐逊当总统。

杰斐逊曾写道ˇ《独立宣言》是“吁请世界的裁判”。 自1776年以来ˇ《 独立宣言》中所体ˇ的原则就一直在全世界爲人传诵。美国的改革家们ˇ不论是出于什麽动机ˇ不论是爲了废除奴隶制ˇ禁止种族隔离或是要提高妇女的权利ˇ都要ˇ公衆提到“人人生而平等”。不论在什麽地方ˇ当人民ˇ不民主的统治作斗争时ˇ他们就要用杰斐逊的话来争辩道ˇ政府的“正当权力是经被治者同意所授予的”。

独 立 宣 言

1776年7月4日ˇ美利坚合衆国十三州议会一致通过的宣言。

在人类事务发展的过程中ˇ当一个民族必须解除同另一个民族的联系ˇ并按照自然法则和上帝的旨意ˇ以独立平等的身份立于世界列国之林时ˇ出于对人类舆论的尊重ˇ必须把驱使他们独立的原因予以宣布。

我们认爲下述真理是不言而喻的ˇ人人生而平等ˇ造物主赋予他们若干不可让与的权利ˇ其中包括生存权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。爲了保障这些权利ˇ人类才在他们中间建立政府ˇ而政府的正当权力ˇ则是经被治者同意所授予的。任何形式的政府一旦对这些目标的实ˇ起破坏作用时ˇ人民便有权予以更换或废除ˇ以建立一个新的政府。新政府所依据的原则和组织其权力的方式ˇ务使人民认爲唯有这样才最有可能使他们获得安全和幸福。若真要审慎地来说ˇ成立多年的政府是不应当由于无关紧要的和一时的原因而予以更换的ˇ过去的一切经验都说明ˇ任何苦难ˇ只要尚能忍受ˇ人类还是情愿忍受ˇ也不ˇ爲申冤而废除他们久已习惯了的政府形式。然而ˇ当始终追求同一目标的一系列滥用职权和强取豪夺的行爲表明政府企图把人民置于专制暴政之下时ˇ人民就有权ˇ也有义务ˇ去推翻这样的政府ˇ并爲其未来的安全提供新的保障。这就是这些殖民地过去忍受苦难的经过ˇ也是他们ˇ在不得不改变政府制度的原因。当今大不列颠国王的历史ˇ就是屡屡伤害和掠夺这些殖民地的历史ˇ其直接目标就是要在各州之上建立一个独裁暴政ˇ爲了证明上述句句属实ˇˇ将事实公诸于世ˇ让公正的世人作出评判。

他拒绝批准对公衆利益最有益、最必需的法律。

他禁止他的殖民总督批准刻不容缓、极端重要的法律ˇ要不就先行搁置这些法律直至征得他的同意ˇ而这些法律被搁置以后ˇ他又完全置之不理。

他拒绝批准便利大地区人民的其它法律ˇ除非这些地区的人民情愿放弃自己在立法机构中的代表权ˇ而代表权对人民是无比珍贵的ˇ只有暴君才畏惧它。

他把各州的立法委员会召集到一个异乎寻常、极不舒适而又远离它们的档案库的地方去开会ˇ其目的无非是使他们疲惫不堪ˇ被迫就范。

他一再解散各州的衆议院ˇ因爲后者坚决反对他侵犯人民的权利。

他在解散衆议院之后ˇ又长期拒绝另选他人ˇ于是这ˇ不可剥夺的立法权便归由普通人民来行使ˇ致使在这期间各州仍处于外敌入侵和内部骚乱的种种危ˇ之中。

他力图阻止各州增加人口ˇ爲此目的ˇ他阻挠外国人入籍法的通过ˇ拒绝批准其它鼓励移民的法律ˇ并提高分配新土地的条件。

他拒绝批准建立司法权力的法律ˇ以阻挠司法的执行。

他迫使法官爲了保住任期、薪金的数额和支付而置于他个人意志的支配之下。 

他滥设新官署ˇ委派大批官员到这里骚扰我们的人民ˇ吞噬他们的财物。

他在和平时期ˇ未经我们立法机构同意ˇ就在我们中间维持其常备军。

他施加影ˇˇ使军队独立于文官政权之外ˇ并凌驾于文官政权之上。

他同他人勾结ˇ把我们置于一种既不符合我们的法规也未经我们法律承认的管辖之下ˇ而且还批准他们炮制的各种僞法案ˇ以便任其在我们中间驻扎大批武装部队ˇ不论这些人对我们各州居民犯下何等严重的谋杀罪ˇ他可用假审判来庇护他们ˇ让他们追逐法外ˇ他可以切断我们同世界各地的贸易ˇ未经我们同意便ˇ我们强行征税ˇ在许多案件中剥夺我们ˇ有陪审制的权益ˇ以莫须有的罪名把我们押送海外受审ˇ他在一个邻省废除了英国法律的自由制度ˇ在那里建立专制政府ˇ扩大其疆界ˇ使其立即成爲一个样板和合适的工具ˇ以便ˇ这里各殖民地推行同样的专制统治ˇ他取ˇ我们的许多特许状ˇ废除我们最珍贵的法律并从根本上改变我们各州政府的形式ˇ他中止我们立法机构行使权力ˇ宣称他们自己拥有在任何情况下爲我们制定法律的权力。

他们放弃设在这里的政府ˇ宣布我们已不属他们保护之列ˇ并ˇ我们发动战争。

他在我们的海域大肆掠夺ˇˇˇ我们的沿海地区ˇ烧毁我们的城镇ˇ残害我们人民的生命。

他此时正在运送大批外国雇佣兵ˇ来从事其制造死亡、荒凉和暴政的勾当ˇ其残忍与卑劣从一开始就连最野蛮的时代也难以ˇ比ˇ他已完全不配当一个文明国家的元首。

他强迫我们在公海被他们俘虏的同胞拿起武器反对自己的国家ˇ使他们成爲残杀自己亲友的刽子手ˇ或使他们死于自己亲友的手下。

他在我们中间煽动内乱ˇ并竭力挑唆残酷无情的印地安蛮子来对付我们边疆的居民ˇ而衆所周知ˇ印地安人作战的 准则是不分男女老幼ˇ是非曲直ˇ格杀勿论。

在遭受这些压迫的每一阶段ˇ我们都曾以最谦卑的言辞吁请予以纠正。而我们一次又一次的请愿ˇ却只是被报以一次又一次的伤害。

一个君主ˇ其品格被他的每一个只有暴君才干得出的行爲所暴露时ˇ就不配君临自由的人民。

我们并不是没有ˇ到我们英国的弟兄。他们的立法机关ˇ把无理的管辖权扩展到我们这里来ˇ我们时常把这个企图通知他们。我们也曾把我们移民来这里和在这里定居的情况告诉他们。我们曾恳求他们天生的正义感和雅量ˇ念在同种同宗的份上ˇ弃绝这些掠夺行爲ˇ因爲这些掠夺行爲难免会使我们之间的关系和来往中断。可他们对这种正义和同宗的呼声也同样充耳不闻。因此ˇ我们不得不宣布脱离他们ˇ以对待世界上其它民族的态度对待他们ˇ同我交战者ˇ就是敌人ˇ同我和好者ˇ即爲朋友。

因此ˇ我们这些在大陆会议上集会的美利坚合衆国的代表们ˇ以各殖民地善良人民的名义ˇ并经他们授权ˇˇ世界最高裁判者申诉ˇ说明我们的严正意ˇˇ同时郑重宣布ˇ我们这些联合起来的殖民地ˇ在是ˇ而且按公理也应该是ˇ独立自由的国家ˇ

我们取ˇ对英国王室效忠的全部义务ˇ我们与大不列颠王国之间的一切政治联系从此全部断绝ˇ而且必须断绝ˇ作爲一个独立自由的国家ˇ我们完全有权宣战、缔和、结盟、通商和采取独立国家有权采取的一切行动。我们坚定地信赖神明上帝的保佑ˇ同时以我们的生命、财産和神圣的名誉彼此宣誓来支援这一宣言。

Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America

  When in the Course of human events, it be comes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them. a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the cause which impel them to the separation.--We bold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these rights. Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.--He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.--He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them,--He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.--He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository" of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.--He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.--He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within,--He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.--He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.--He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.--He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.--He has kept among us, in times of peace. Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.--He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.--He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: --For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:--For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:--For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:--For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:--For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:--For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:--For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:--For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:--For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.--He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.--He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our people.--He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.--He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall them selves by their Hands.--He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.--

   We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare. That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States: that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.--And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.