就职演讲

Called from a retirement which I had supposed was to continue for the residue of my life to full the chief executive office of this great and free nation,
从我原以为将持续我的余生的隐退生活中被召唤来行使这一伟大而自由民族的行政长官之职，
I appear before you,fellow citizens,
同胞们，我在你们面前，
to take the oaths which the Constitution prescribes as a neccessary qualification for the performance of its duties;
来按照宪法的要求必须作执政资格的宣誓；
and in obedience to a custom coeval with our Government and what I believe to be your expectations,
并依照我们政府当前的惯例和我所认为是你们的希望，
I proceed to present to you a summary of the principles which will govern me in the discharge of the duties which I shall be called upon to perform.
我在此向你们进行关于在行使这一我被召唤上任的职责中将指引我的原则的概述。
It was the remark of a Roman consul in an early period of that celebrated Republic that a most striking contrast was observable in the conduct of candidates for offices of power,and trust before and after obtaining them,
在有名的罗马共和国的早期，有一位执政官评论道，公职权力和信任的候选者在得到它前，和得到它后的行为之间有明显的反差，
they seldom carrying out in the latter case the pledges and promises made in the former.
他们极少在后来执行他们在当初所做的保证和允诺。
However much the world may have improved in many respects in the lapse of upward of two thousand years since the remark was made by the virtuous and indignant Roman,
尽管这个世界在自此高尚而愤慨的罗马人所作的评论以后的两千多年来已在很多方面大大改善，
I fear that a strict examination of the annals of some of the modern elective governments would develop similar instances of violated confidence.
我仍恐怕对一些现代选举政府的严格检查将显示出类似的违反信任的例子。
Our Confederacy,fellow_citizens,can only be preserved by the same forbearance.
同胞们，只能以相同的忍耐来保护我们的联盟。
Our citizens must be content with the exercise of the powers with which the Constitution clothes them.
我们的公民们必须以行使宪法赋予他们的权利而满足。
The attempt of those of one State to control the domestic institutions of another can only result in feelings of distrust and jealousy,
那些一州试图控制另一州的内部机构只会造成无信和嫉妒之心，
the certain harbingers of disunion,violence,and civil war,
分裂、暴力、内战，
and the ultimate destruction of our free institutions.
和最终毁坏我们自由体制的某些前兆。
Our Confederacy is perfectly illustrated by the terms and principles governing a common copartnership.
我们的联盟由管理一个共同合作关系的条件和原则来完善阐明。
There is a fund of power to be exercised under the direction of the joint councils of the allied members,
在联盟成员的联合议会的指导下，有一权力资源可被行使，
but that which has been reserved by the individual members is intangible by the common Government or the individual members composing it.
但是那些保留给单独成员的权力则不可为共同政府或制定它的个人所染指。
To attempt it finds no support in the principles of our Constitution.
试图如此无法在我们的宪法原则中找到依据。
It should be our constant and earnest endeavor mutually to cultivate a spirit of concord and harmony among the various parts of our Confederacy.
在我们联盟的各部分中互相养育和谐一致的精神应该是我持久而真诚的努力。
Experience has abundantly taught us that the agitation by citizens of one part of the Union of a subject not confided to the General Government,
以往的丰富经历告诉我们联盟中一部分公民关于一个事件的煽动，没有委托给联邦政府的，
but exclusively under the guardianship of the local authorities,
而仅在当地政府监督之下，
is productive of no other consequences than bitterness,alienation,discord,
只会造成怨恨、分裂、混乱，
and injury to the very cause which is intended to be advanced.
以及对它所企图改善的目标的伤害。
Of all the great interest which appertain to our country,that of union cordial,confiding,fraternal union is by far the most important,since it is the only true and sure guaranty of all others.
在我们国家的重大利益之中最为重要的是我们热情、可信，博爱的联盟的利益，因为只有它是对所有他人的真正而肯定的保证。
In consequence of the embarrassed state of business and the currency,
作为商贸和金融窘况的后果，
some of the States may meet with difficulty in their financial concerns.
某些州也许会在其财政上遇到困难。
总统介绍

威廉·亨利·哈里森出身于弗吉尼亚种植者贵族家庭。他生于1773年(癸巳年)伯克利。是美国第九任总统（1841年3月4日--1841年4月4日）威廉·亨利·哈里森在印第安纳州打败肖肖尼印第安人，人称“提帕卡农英雄”。也是美国历史上执政时间最短的总统，只有一个月。他不久即患肺炎，在他宣誓就职后1个月即不幸去世。他的孙子是美国第23任总统本杰明·哈里森。

在美国人鲍勃·芬斯特撰写的《人类的愚蠢历史》里，威廉·哈里森总统有幸在“白痴政治”一章中露面。鲍勃这样写道：“1840年当选总统的威廉·亨利·哈里森并不傻，因为他拒绝在华盛顿3月份的一场暴风雨中的户外就职典礼中戴上帽子或者穿上大衣。他之所以傻是因为他非常迷恋自己的声音，以至于他洋洋洒洒地演说了一个多钟头，而每一个人都冻得不行，包括他自己。哈里森因此头部严重伤风，引发致命的肺炎，这时他任职才一个月。哈里森成为第一个因演讲而导致死亡的总统。”在另外相当一部分美国人看来，威廉·哈里森死于“特科抹人诅咒”，而且是有幸第一个死于这个诅咒的美国总统。“特科抹人诅咒”还被称作“蒂皮卡诺诅咒”。根据民间传说，1811年，时任将军的威廉·哈里森率领的军队，在蒂皮卡诺大战中一举击溃了著名的美国印第安人首领特科抹人和他的军队，并对印第安人实施了残酷的屠杀。愤怒的特科抹人对美国人施加了咒语。诅咒是这样说的：我告诉你，哈里森将死。继他之后每隔20年，每个在尾数是0的年份当选的总统都必须在任上死去。