就职演讲

For instance, why may not any portion of a new confederacy a year or two hence arbitrarily secede again,
比如说，一个新的联盟的任何一部分，在一两年之后，
precisely as portions of the present Union now claim to secede from it?
为什么就不会像现在的联邦中的一些部分坚决要脱离出去一样，执意要从从那个新联盟中脱离出去。
All who cherish disunion sentiments are now being educated to the exact temper of doing this.
所有怀着分裂联邦思想的人现在都正接受着分裂思想的教育。
Is there such perfect identity of interests among the States to compose a new union as to produce harmony only and prevent renewed secession?
难道要组成一个新联邦的州，它们的利益竟会是那样完全一致，它们只会有和谐，而不会再出现脱离行动吗?
Plainly the central idea of secession is the essence of anarchy.
非常清楚，脱离的中心思想实质就是无政府主义。
A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations,
一个受着宪法的检查和限制的约束，
and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people.
总是随着大众意见和情绪的慎重变化而及时改变的多数派，是自由人民的唯一真正的统治者。
Whoever rejects it does of necessity fly to anarchy or to despotism. Unanimity is impossible.
谁要想排斥他们，便必然走向无政府主义或专制主义。
The rule of a minority, as a permanent arrangement, is wholly inadmissible;
完全一致是根本不可能的；把少数派的统治作为一种长期安排是完全不能接受的，
so that, rejecting the majority principle, anarchy or despotism in some form is all that is left.
所以，一旦排斥了多数原则，剩下的便只有某种形式的无政府主义或某专制主义了。
I do not forget the position assumed by some that constitutional questions are to be decided by the Supreme Court,
我没有忘记某些人的说法，认为宪法问题应该由最高法院来裁决。
nor do I deny that such decisions must be binding in any case upon the parties to a suit as to the object of that suit,
我也不否认这种裁决，在任何情况下，对诉讼各万，以及诉讼目的，
while they are also entitled to very high respect and consideration in all parallel cases by all other departments of the Government.
完全具有约束力，而且在类似的情况中，—应受到政府的一切其它部门高度的尊重和重视。
And while it is obviously possible that such decision may be erroneous in any given case, still the evil effect following it, being limited to that particular case,
尽管非常明显，这类裁决在某一特定案例中都很可能会是错误的,然而，这样随之而来的恶果总只限于该特定案件，
still the evil effect following it, being limited to that particular case, with the chance that it may be overruled and never become a precedent for other cases,
同时裁决还有机会被驳回，不致成为以后判案的先例，
can better be borne than could the evils of a different practice.
那这种过失比起其它的过失来当然更让人容易忍受。
At the same time, the candid citizen must confess that if the policy of the Government upon vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court,
同时，正直的公民必须承认，如果政府在有关全体人民利害的重大问题的政策，都得由最高法院的裁决，
the instant they are made in ordinary litigation between parties in personal actions the people will have ceased to be their own rulers,
作出决定那一旦对个人之间的一般诉讼作出裁决时，人民便已不再是自己的主人，
having to that extent practically resigned their Government into the hands of that eminent tribunal.
而达到了将他们的政府交给那个高于一切的法庭的地步了。
Nor is there in this view any assault upon the court or the judges.
我这样说，决无意对法院或法官表示不满。
It is a duty from which they may not shrink to decide cases properly brought before them,
一件案子按正常程序送到他们面前，对它作出正当裁决，是他们的不可推卸的责任；
and it is no fault of theirs if others seek to turn their decisions to political purposes.
如果别的人硬要把他们的判决用来达到政治目的，那并不是他们的过错。
One section of our country believes slavery is right and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong and ought not to be extended.
我国有一部分人相信奴隶制是正确的。应该扩展，而另一部分人又相信它是错误的，不应该扩展。
总统介绍

亚伯拉罕·林肯（Abraham Lincoln，1809年2月12日－1865年4月15日），美国政治家、思想家，黑人奴隶制的废除者。第16任美国总统，其任总统期间，美国爆发内战，史称南北战争，林肯坚决反对国家分裂。