每天讀一點(diǎn)英文 那些激勵(lì)我前行的身影 06 約翰?布朗-被判處絞刑時(shí)發(fā)表的講話
約翰•布朗-被判處絞刑時(shí)發(fā)表的講話
I have, may it please the court, a few words to say. In the first place, I deny everything but what I have all along admittedthe design on my part to free the slaves. I intended certainly to have made a clean thing of that matter, as I did last winter when I went into Missouri and there took slaves without the snapping of a gun on either side, moved them through the country, and finally left them in Canada. I designed to have done the same thing again on a larger scale. That was all I intended. I never did intend murder, or treason(叛逆，叛國), or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite(激動(dòng)，煽動(dòng)) slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection(起義).
在這法庭上我只想講幾句話,首先,除去我一直承認(rèn)確實(shí)有計(jì)劃地要解放黑奴之外,我否認(rèn)一切其他指控.我確實(shí)有意完全消滅奴隸制,去年冬天我就到過密蘇里州接運(yùn)黑奴,雙方未發(fā)一槍就將黑奴運(yùn)出,送至加拿大.我曾打算擴(kuò)大這行動(dòng)的規(guī)模.這就是我想做的一切.我從未圖謀殺人,叛國,毀壞私有財(cái)產(chǎn)或鼓勵(lì),煽動(dòng)奴隸謀反作亂.
I have another objection; and that is, it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty(處罰). Had I interfered in the manner which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved (for I admire the truthfulness and candor(坦白，直率) of the greater portion of the witnesses who have testified(證明，證實(shí)) in this case)had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or in behalf of any of their friendseither father, mother, brother, sister, wife or children, or any of that classand suffered, and sacrificed what I have in this interference, it would have been all right; and every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment.
我還要提出一項(xiàng)異議,那便是：我受到這樣的刑罰是不公平的.我在法庭上所承認(rèn)的事實(shí)已經(jīng)得到相當(dāng)充分的證明,我對(duì)于證人提供的大部分事實(shí)的真確和公允是很欽佩的.但是,假如我的所為,是代表那些有錢有勢(shì),有知識(shí)的人或所謂大人物的利益,或是代表他們的朋友,父母,兄弟,姊妹,妻子,兒女或他們所屬的階級(jí)其他任何人的利益,并因此而受到我在這件事上所受到的痛苦和犧牲,那就會(huì)萬事大吉.這法庭上的每個(gè)人都會(huì)認(rèn)為我的行為不但不應(yīng)受罰,反而值得獎(jiǎng)賞了.
This court acknowledges, as I suppose, the validity(有效性，合法性) of the law of God, I see a book kissed, which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament. That teaches me that all things whatsoever(無論什么) I would that men should do to me I should do even so to them. It teaches me, further, to "remember them that are in bonds as bound with them." I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons, I believe that to have interfered as I have doneas I have always freely admitted I have donein behalf of His despised(輕視) poor was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary ends of justice, and mingle(使混合) my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked(邪惡的), cruel, and unjust enactments(設(shè)定，制定)I submit(服從): so let it be done!
我想,這法庭上也承認(rèn)上帝的法律,我看到開庭時(shí)你們親吻一本書,那大概是《圣經(jīng)》吧,至少也是《新約全書》.這本書教導(dǎo)我要以己所欲,施之于人.還教導(dǎo)我“要想自己也被囚禁那樣,不忘身陷囹圄的人們”.我曾努力實(shí)踐者訓(xùn)條.我要說我還太年輕,不懂得上帝竟會(huì)不公平待人.我相信,我一直坦率承認(rèn)曾為上帝窮苦子民所作的事,并沒有做錯(cuò),相反,完全正確.如果為了伸張正義,我必須獻(xiàn)出生命,必須在這個(gè)被邪惡,殘暴與不義的法制剝奪了一切權(quán)力的蓄奴國家里,把我的鮮血和我的幾個(gè)孩子以及千千萬萬人的鮮血留在一起,就請(qǐng)便吧!
【人物簡介】
1859年發(fā)生的約翰·布朗起義，是美國人民群眾試圖用武裝斗爭(zhēng)消滅黑人奴隸制的一次英勇嘗試。約翰·布朗是這次起義領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，故名。1800年，布朗出生于康涅狄格州一個(gè)白人農(nóng)民家庭。其父為廢奴主義者，布朗從小受反奴隸制思想的熏陶。1856年曾參加堪薩斯內(nèi)戰(zhàn)，贏得勝利。1859年他領(lǐng)導(dǎo)美國人民在哈伯斯費(fèi)里舉行武裝起義，要求廢除奴隸制，并逮捕一些種植園主，解放了許多奴隸。他的起義最后被鎮(zhèn)壓，他被逮捕并殺害。大部分歷史學(xué)家對(duì)他持肯定態(tài)度，包括作家愛默生及梭羅均稱贊約翰·布朗。
