北美的危机
The American Crisis

(Library of Congress)

这是考验人的灵魂的时代。

在美国独立战争期间ˇ潘恩写了以《北美的危机》爲题的系列文章ˇ分爲十六小册ˇ发表于1776ˇ1783年之间。他给这些小册子标题爲《常识》。其中第一篇发表于1776年l 2月23日ˇ以满腔热情号召人们爲自由而战。以下便是这篇文章的摘要。华盛顿将军下令ˇ他在福吉谷士气低落的军队宣读这篇振奋精神的檄文。

尽管潘恩的爱国著作卖出了千万册ˇ潘恩却依然身无分文ˇ因爲ˇ爲了使他的文章能够被广泛印发ˇ让人阅读ˇ他拒绝接受任何版税。潘恩是世界上最伟大的政治宣传家之一。1787年ˇ他回到欧洲ˇ希望能争取人们对他在费城附近建一座横跨斯凯基尔河的大桥的计划感兴趣。然而ˇ他很快就被法国革命迷住了。1791年ˇ他发表《人的权利》ˇ捍卫法国革命ˇ批判埃德蒙ˇ伯克写的《对法国革命的反思》。伯克作了回答。1792年ˇ潘恩发表《人的权利》第二部ˇ批判君主政体ˇ鼓吹ˇ灭贫困、文盲和失业的政策。英国政府禁止潘恩的激进建议ˇ并企图逮捕他ˇ但潘恩从英国逃到法国。在那儿他被选进国民议会。尽管他保卫过法国革命ˇ但他还是批评恐怖时期ˇ并设法救国王的性命。由于他这样做ˇ法国人把他关在牢里近一年。潘恩写的《理性时代》(两部分ˇ1794和1795年)使他遭到各处正统宗教狂者的刻骨仇恨。

1802年ˇ潘恩回到美国。1809年ˇ在纽约市去世。

这是考验人的灵魂的时代。在当前的危机中ˇ精壮的战士和乐天的爱国者会在爲国家服务的责任面前畏缩不前ˇ但今天能坚持战斗的人应当得到全体男女的爱戴和感激。专制制度就ˇ地狱一样ˇ是不容易被打破的ˇ但是我们可以堪慰的是ˇ斗争越是艰巨ˇ胜利就越光荣。轻易获得的东西ˇ我们并不珍重ˇ一切事物的价值在于它是来之不易的。上天知道怎样给它的货品定出适当的价码。如果对自由这样神圣的东西反而索价不高ˇ那岂非咄咄怪事。凭军队来推行其专制制度的不列颠公开宣布她有权利(不但课税)而且“在一切情形下对我们进行全面约束”ˇ如果那样约束我们还不叫奴役的话ˇ那世上就不存在奴役这回事了。其实他们这种说法本身也是亵渎神明的ˇ因爲他们所说的那种无ˇ权力只能属于上帝……

我和任何人一样ˇ没有什麽迷信。但我内心深处一ˇ认爲ˇ而且ˇ在还是这麽认爲ˇ一个曾殚思竭虑ˇˇ尽一切妥善的办法ˇ屡次真诚地寻求避免战争之灾难的民族ˇ万能的上帝是不会听任他们横遭兵刃的洗劫的。我没有那麽多异教徒的思ˇˇ还不至于认爲上帝会放弃对世界的主宰ˇ把我们交给魔鬼发落。既然我并无上述ˇ法ˇ我也就看不出不列颠国王将能以何种理由仰对上天求助以加害于我们ˇ一个声名狼藉的凶手、拦路抢劫的匪徒和破门而入的强盗都会找到一个跟他一样堂皇的借口。

然而有时惊惶失措竟会这麽快蔓延全国ˇ看来真是令人吃惊。各个国家和各个时代都有过类似的例子ˇ不列颠听说法国平底船队到达的ˇ息时曾ˇ打摆子一样发抖。在十四世纪ˇ英军全体将士对法兰西王国进行一番洗劫之后被赶回ˇ竟吓得目瞪口呆ˇ而这番英雄业绩只是由一位叫贞德的妇女率领拼凑的散兵游勇所干的。但愿上天也啓发 新泽西的某个女子去鼓舞她的同胞奋起ˇ拯救她受苦受难的同胞ˇ使他们免遭ˇˇ劫掠之苦……

我不是对少数人ˇ而是ˇ全体呼吁ˇ不是对这个州或那个州ˇ而是ˇ每一个州呼吁ˇ呼吁你们迅速奋起ˇ前来助战ˇ全力以赴ˇ共ˇ大业ˇ况且生死存亡ˇ在此一举ˇ因而所聚兵力宁可太多ˇ不可太少。让我们昭告后世ˇ在这只有希望和美德才能坚持下去的隆冬季节ˇ我城ˇ居民ˇ爲共同的危难而惶恐不安ˇ纷纷挺身而出ˇ联合退敌。且莫道几千人已经丧生ˇ请拿出你的几万人来ˇ不要把当前的负担推给上帝ˇ要“用实干表ˇ你的信心”ˇ这样上帝才会保佑你。地不分东西ˇ人不分贵贱ˇ是祸是福ˇ总会降临到你们每个人头上的。不论是远是近ˇ是家ˇ还是边疆ˇ是富人还是穷人ˇ喜则同喜ˇ忧则同忧。此时此刻无动于衷的心便是死的。他的孩子们将以血咒駡他的怯懦ˇ因爲他在只要付出一点便可拯救全体ˇ使他们获得幸福的紧要关头退缩了。我爱能在危难中微笑的人ˇ我爱能从痛苦中聚集力量的人ˇ我爱能通过深思变得勇敢的人。临阵逃脱是小人的行径。而一位天性坚毅ˇ行爲不背良心的人ˇ将会坚持原则。至死不渝。在我看来ˇ我推理的思路ˇ一ˇ光一样笔直透明。我ˇ信即使把全世界的财富都给我ˇ也无法诱使我去支持一场侵略战争ˇ因爲我认爲这是屠杀。但是ˇ假如一名盗贼破门闯入我的住宅ˇ烧毁我的财物ˇ杀死我或威胁要杀我ˇ或屋子里的其它人ˇ并要我“在一切情况下受约束”于他的绝对意志ˇ难道我要甘受其害吗?不管干这事的是国王还是平民ˇ是我的同胞还是外国人ˇ是单个暴徒还是一支军队ˇ那对我有什麽差别?归根到底一点差别都没有ˇ因爲ˇ对于这些罪行ˇ我们在一种情况下要惩罚ˇ而在另一种情况下又要赦免ˇ那是不公正的。就让他们把我叫作叛逆吧ˇ非常欢迎ˇ我毫不在乎。但是ˇ我如果去ˇ一个迟钝的、顽固的、卑劣的、兽性的家伙表示忠心ˇ从而使我的灵魂沦爲娼妓一样肮脏ˇ那就会使我遭受魔鬼一样的痛苦。而当末日来临时ˇ这种人就会ˇ荒山野岭哀号ˇ寻求托庇ˇ惊恐万状地从北美的孤儿、寡妇、和被屠杀者面前逃走。要是我接受这种人的怜悯ˇ我也同样会感到可怕的。

有些情况无论用什麽言词来描述都不会过份ˇ这便是一个例子。有些人对威胁着他们的邪恶不能充份认识ˇ他们希望敌人在胜利后会大发慈悲ˇ且以此来安慰自己。期望那些不顾正义的人大发慈悲ˇ真是愚蠢至极。而且在以征服爲目的的地方ˇ即便慈悲也只不过是战争的一种诡计。狐狸的狡猾跟豺狼的暴皮同样凶残。我们对两者都应当保持同样的警惕……

感谢上帝ˇ我无所畏惧。我看不出有什麽真正值得畏惧的理由。我对目前的局势一清二楚ˇ对将来的出路了如指掌……只要我们坚持不懈ˇ不屈不挠ˇ我们就有希望得到光荣的结果。胆小伯事ˇ屈膝投降ˇ其结果只好悲惨地接受各种灾祸ˇˇ国家惨遭ˇˇˇ城市人口锐减ˇ人民居无安所ˇ备受奴役而无希望ˇ我们的家园将变成黑森雇佣军的营房和妓院ˇ以后还得养活一大堆弄不清谁是他们父亲的孩子。面对这样一副情景ˇ能不痛哭流涕!如果时至今日竟还有哪个没有头脑的劣种不ˇ信这话ˇ那就让他去受罪ˇ别爲他悲伤……

Thomas Paine
The American Crisis

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, "we esteem too lightly; 'tis dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there no such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to God. . . .

    I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils; and as I do not, I cannot see on what grounds the king of Britain can look up to Heaven for help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a housebreaker, has as good a pretence as he.

     "Tis surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. All nations and ages have been subject to them: Britain has trembled like an ague at the report of a French fleet of flat bottomed boats; and in the fourteenth century the whole English army, after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back like men petrified with fear; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces collected and headed by a woman, Joan of Arc. Would that heaven might inspire some Jersey maid to spirit up her countrymen, and save her fair fellow sufferers from ravage and ravishment! ...

    . . . I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state; up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works, " that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now, is dead: the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever, " to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman: whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be as signed why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other. Let them call me rebel, and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man. I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.

    There are cases which cannot be overdone by language, and this is one. There are persons too who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them, they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if they succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf; and we ought to guard equally against both. . . .

    I thank God that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it. . . . By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils--a ravaged country--a depopulated city--habitations without safety, and slavery without hope--our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses for Hessians, and a future race to provide for, whose fathers we shall doubt of. Look on this picture and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented. ...