VOA建国史话(翻译+字幕+讲解):辉格党抓准时机击败范布伦
日期:2019-04-17 15:42

(单词翻译:单击)

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Welcome to the MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English. As the election of eighteen forty drew closer, the Whig Party felt more and more hopeful that it could put its candidate in the White House. The Whigs believed they could defeat President Martin Van Buren in his attempt to win a second term. Whig leaders turned away from their early choice of Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as their candidate. There was too much popular opposition to him. Some people opposed Clay because he owned slaves; others because of his close ties to business interests. They considered him a pro-bank man. Besides, there was a growing feeling among the Whig leaders that they should choose a military hero as their presidential candidate -- a general like Andrew Jackson. This week in our series, Jack Weitzel and Jack Moyles tell the story of the election of eighteen forty.
Thurlow Weed, one of the important Whig leaders in the state of New York, remembered how the people had loved Jackson, the hero of the War of Eighteen-Twelve. Weed thought General William Henry Harrison, one of the candidates in eighteen thirty-six, might be the man the Whigs needed. Harrison had led an attack on Indians in the Indiana territory in eighteen eleven. Westerners believed the battle -- at a place called Tippecanoe -- was a great victory for Harrison. Weed also thought of General Winfield Scott, who had kept the border with Canada quiet. Scott was a southerner from Virginia. He had not been involved in politics and had no political enemies. Weed finally decided that Scott might be a better candidate than Harrison or Clay. But other party leaders remembered that Harrison had received many votes in eighteen thirty-six, although not enough to win. When the Whig convention opened, all three men -- Clay, Scott, Harrison -- were possible candidates. The convention delegates finally chose General Harrison. For vice president, they decided on another southerner, John Tyler. Tyler was a strong believer in states' rights. He had worked hard to win the nomination for Senator Clay. One report said he felt so strongly about it that he cried when Clay was not chosen. Southern Whigs agreed to support Harrison only because Tyler was the vice presidential candidate.
Clay was not at the convention. He stayed in Washington and waited for news from the convention. On the final day, as he waited for word, he drank glass after glass of wine. When the news came that the Whigs had chosen Harrison, Clay said in anger: "I am the most unfortunate man in the history of parties. Always chosen as a candidate when sure to be defeated. And now, tricked out of the nomination when I, or anyone, would surely be elected." The Democrats were happy that Clay was not the Whig presidential candidate. They were glad the Whigs chose the sixty-seven year old Harrison. Democrats spoke of Harrison as an "old lady." They called him "Granny Harrison." One democratic newspaper said the old man did not really want to be president. It said Harrison would be happier with a two thousand dollar a year pension, a barrel of hard cider to drink, and a log cabin to live in. Working men drank hard apple cider. And a great many farmers still lived in houses, or cabins, made of rough logs. The Whigs put the democratic statement to their own use. They saw a way to represent their party of bankers and businessmen as the party of the working man and the small farmer. "The statement is right!" they cried. "The Whig Party is the party of hard cider and log cabins." They made Harrison -- a Virginia aristocrat -- a simple man of the people. His big home in Ohio became a log cabin. He exchanged his silk hat for the kind worn by farmers.

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Whig leaders would not let their candidate make many speeches. They would not let him write anything. All his letters were written by his political advisers. When Harrison did speak in public, it usually was about nothing important. No one really knew what the old man thought about any of the important issues. The Democrats opened their nominating convention in Baltimore in May eighteen forty. Van Buren was chosen to be the party's candidate again. The president received the votes of all the party representatives at the convention. But the representatives were not able to agree on a vice presidential candidate. They finally decided to let the states nominate candidates for the job. The election campaign was one of the wildest in the nation's history. Both parties did everything possible to show that they were the friend of the common man. The Whigs put up log cabins everywhere and offered free hard cider to everyone. They organized huge outdoor meetings for thousands, with food and drink for all. They held parades and marched with flags, bands, and pictures of William Henry Harrison. Many campaign songs were written. These songs told of Harrison's bravery against the Indians. They told how Harrison loved the hard and simple life of the common man.

At the same time, the Whig campaign songs said Van Buren lived like a king in the White House. A Whig congressman from Pennsylvania made a wild speech against the president. Copies of it were spread throughout the country. The congressman charged that the White House had become a palace. He said Van Buren slept in the same kind of bed as the one used by the French King, Louis the Fifteenth. He said the president ate French food from gold and silver dishes. The carpets in the White House, he said, were so thick that a man could bury his feet in them. The congressman charged that President Van Buren wore silk clothing, and even put French perfume on his body to make him smell sweet as a flower. Van Buren and other Democrats called the charges foolish. But no one seemed to hear. The Democrats made charges just as foolish. They claimed that Harrison could not read or write. They said he would not pay people the money he owed them. And they charged that Harrison even sold white men into slavery. Henry Clay said the campaign was a struggle between log cabins and palaces, between hard cider and champagne.
The state of Maine held elections in September of eighteen forty. Voters in Maine elected Whig Edward Kent as governor. They gave the state's electoral votes to Harrison, the hero of Tippecanoe. The election results produced a new song for the Whigs. "And have you heard the news from Maine, and what old Maine can do. She went hell-bent for Governor Kent, and Tippecanoe and Tyler, too. And Tippecanoe and Tyler, too. " One by one, the other states voted. It was clear early in the election that General Harrison would win. The election was close in total votes. But Harrison received two hundred thirty-four electoral votes, and Van Buren only sixty. And so, Harrison became the ninth president of the United States. Whig leaders had made most of Harrison's campaign decisions. Some of them -- especially Henry Clay and Daniel Webster -- believed they could continue to control him, even after Harrison moved into the White House. But Harrison saw what was happening. He made a trip to Kentucky, Clay's home state, late in eighteen forty. Harrison made it clear that he did not want to meet with Clay. He was afraid such a meeting would seem to show that Clay was the real power in the new administration.
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重点解析

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1.be involved in 参与;涉及

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What surprised us was that he had confessed himself to be involved in the gambling.

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使我们吃惊的是,他已承认自己卷入了赌博HPF)S(ih@^yLV3(r.xz

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2.put up 搭起;张贴

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Protesters have been putting up barricades across a number of major intersections.

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抗议者们在许多主要的十字路口设置了路障~XBbHEiH%@wsx]h7ZA

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3.continue to 继续;不断

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I hope they continue to fight for equal justice after I'm gone.

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我希望我走了以后他们能继续为司法公正而战HlV0;Y,oYwYJd

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4.in public 当众;公开地

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I make a fool of myself to shout at him in public.

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我在公共场合对他大喊大叫,出了个大丑2o,FHGqp_TX%]#

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参考译文

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欢迎收听VOA慢速英语之建国史话节目r88N@hKHf)mMN^Z5。随着1840年总统大选临近,辉格党越来越希望自己的候选人能入主白宫44sLJS[CsOmjy&LF-eo。辉格党认为他们可以击败总统马丁·范布伦的连任竞选Z^rP9+i+TnZ。辉格党领导者们早期选择肯塔基州参议员亨利·克莱作为竞选候选人,现在他们放弃了这个选择r8o]~et9#QrhC_Wx8。民众对他的反对太过强烈I&*[C=%U(D。有些人反对克莱是因为他自己有奴隶;另一些人是因为他与商界利益关系过密,人们认为他是个亲银行派NgpVEgBTKKCg]US%w6]x。此外,辉格党领导人越来越觉得,他们应该选择一位像安德鲁·杰克逊这样的将军式的军事英雄作为总统候选人YkFgfq]5%[R1gtFx。在本周的系列节目中,杰克·威策尔和杰克·莫伊尔斯将为我们讲述1840年总统大选的故事f;uRdmr&7Y_,cHXx3-
辉格党在纽约州的一位重要领导人瑟洛·威德,回忆起人们是如何爱戴1822年战争的英雄杰克逊t&RdWpd+STqD(n*G。威德认为,1836年的候选人威廉·亨利·哈里森将军,可能是辉格党所需要的人选a(nhNggZX+d~*~0。1811年,哈里森在印第安纳州带领军队袭击了印第安人xmwWAqv0Q(,-WEv&t。西部人认为在蒂皮卡诺进行的这场战斗是哈里森取得的一次伟大胜利,威德还想起了温菲尔德·斯科特将军,他一直守卫着美加边境,让两国相安无事5|)kVNd(t2PDV3Z9Z。斯科特是个来自弗吉尼亚的南方人,没从过政,也没有政敌ybp5.n.V!uIa。威德最终决定与哈里森或克莱斯科特相比,斯科特可能是更好的候选人M8+&@H1R]3。但其他党的领导人记得哈里森在1836年获得了许多选票,不过票数不足以获胜uXp0&6pkhOpg]。辉格党大会开幕时,克莱、斯科特、哈里森三人都是可能的候选人,大会代表最终选择了哈里森将军_TTB%X4]R[Ue]。对于副总统,他们决定选另一个南方人约翰·泰勒6+PAQ=JD2(XiD。泰勒坚信各州拥有自己的权利,他努力为参议员克莱争取提名yvsr62@)Z&。一篇报道中提到,这件事让他情绪激动,克莱落选时他都哭了wXCLO%RHA8evRRxGvP。南方的辉格党同意支持哈里森,但条件是泰勒必须是副总统候选人z5v!vA#epI28=YJHsue[
克莱没有参加会议,他留在华盛顿等待大会的消息m5h+WOA8jAGo^oUl8)L。在最后一天,当他等待消息时,他一杯接一杯地喝着酒[SLOi9|Nn*yJ]QDNk。当辉格党选择哈里森的消息传来时,克莱愤怒地说:“我是政党历史上最不幸的人VEui@fGDAOs2kiU&*+=#。总是在肯定会被击败的情况下,当选为候选人iR=@ILmc&g(rK7a。现在,当我肯定会当选时,又从提名中被剔除了NNgh=hCe_o2^j^sCCo。”民主党人很高兴克莱不是辉格党的总统候选人,他们很高兴辉格党选择了67岁高龄的哈里森2[HdXX25n9e4。民主党人称哈里森为“老太太”,管他叫 “哈里森奶奶”!j+XBv_tU+f-ZIxh*。一家民主党报纸说,这位老人并不真正想当总统jXfwA_yEgHTjjADce。如果每年给他两千美元的养老金,一桶烈性苹果酒,还有一座小木屋住,哈里森会更高兴I7pj.EdZ4L|[jgOyM6q2。苹果酒,许多农民仍然住在粗木造的房子或小屋里,辉格党人将民主声明挪为己用HJi!@Tk-*fD+FW+.。他们看到了将银行家和商人组成的政党用工人和小农政党演绎的一种方法S4BP+U^H9yMzAc;.vY!。“这样说是对的!” 他们高喊.W_ff&U]ZU。“辉格党就是拥有烈性苹果酒和小木屋的党派yXk5R-)e4o!DY-AXqf。”他们让哈里森这位来自弗吉尼亚州的贵族,成为一个普通民众vegouwa5o[Z7oCq。他在俄亥俄州宽敞的大房子变成了一个小木屋0liooG7@l2i,r。他把绸帽换成农民戴的那种帽子DWMU1|7b2v2~Bq
辉格党领导人不让他们的候选人发表太多演讲,不让他写任何东西,他的所有信件都由政治顾问代写@Ts4_RszXaUY。哈里森在公共场合讲话时,谈论的通常都是无关痛痒的事T7!c@u*#q-=sp。没有人真正知道这位老人对重要问题的看法9!nrJ;UN)r|p68.%BS[i。1840年5月,民主党在巴尔的摩召开了提名大会TMSD+Myl_vuTSWjQx*G。范布伦再次被选为该党候选人#^%[%PsDFKpfd;S8K8。在大会上,总统得到了全党代表的投票,但代表们未能就副总统候选人达成共识DCYcaAv!*inM3。他们最终决定让各州提名候选人x++3lxI&WY1。这次总统大选是美国历史上最疯狂的一次竞选,双方尽一切可能表明他们是普通民众的朋友x8kEBX|f[8Qm(EFb8。辉格党到处建筑小木屋,向每个人提供免费的烈性苹果酒jEBdHXK7Jm%K|hR。他们组织了数千人的大型户外集会,为所有人提供食物和饮料V0=Sp^Z=9NAN。他们举行游行,高举旗帜和威廉·亨利·哈里森的照片,游行队伍中还伴有乐队Hb,3NbJqWP),Az=R8d。他们还编写了许多竞选歌曲,这些歌讲述了哈里森对战印第安人时的勇敢,以及哈里森对普通人艰苦朴素生活的热爱h92G-!C3u_Q0z
与此同时,辉格党的竞选歌曲中唱到范布伦在白宫过着国王般的生活9Bvk2V|QL=81[Z949p。一位来自宾夕法尼亚州的辉格党国会议员发表了一次猛烈抨击总统的疯狂言论,这些言论被印制成文字后传遍全国a&7]o0mg~vQ。国会议员指责白宫变成了一座宫殿,说范布伦睡的床和法国国王路易十五用的床一样,总统吃的菜放在金银制成的盘子里,白宫的地毯太厚了,都能把脚埋在里面D8+X0PU~gP*hGMq。国会议员指责总统范布伦穿着丝绸衣服,甚至在身上喷上法国香水,令自己闻起来像鲜花一样甜美VPW&C#Y~+1;TwNi[。范布伦和其他民主党人称这些指控太过愚蠢,但似乎没有人听他们的cN%!oK;+yfz2F.XbV。民主党人的指控同样愚蠢,他们声称哈里森不能读也不能写,说他不还钱,还指控哈里森甚至把白人卖作奴隶NFntyor8U-qKPCeA。亨利·克莱说,这场竞选活动是小木屋与宫殿之争,烈性苹果酒与香槟之斗C2hwzw^B_^e4
缅因州于1840年9月举行了选举,缅因州的选民选举辉格党人爱德华·肯特作为州长XQ321AqrI1m(L_q。他们把该州的选举投票权交给了蒂皮卡诺之战的英雄哈里森sKju!P%eBl7nz0%d~&。辉格党将选举结果谱写成一首新歌,“你听说缅因州的消息了吗?老的缅因州还能做什么~nE9&FuV8m2。她拼命支持肯特州长,还有蒂皮卡诺和泰勒,还有蒂皮卡诺和泰勒PM8.uW#Ie6OBEYlSF9&。”其他州一个接一个地投票wrui*Z+-2=@R。选举一开始,哈里森将军就显示出获胜的势头)Q_LAA~G6h2%CTp。选举票数全部有效,但是哈里森获得了234张选票,而范布伦只有60张FL;*=gUUaPW7xtOm。于是,哈里森成为美国第九任总统H(B;P;4&,*。哈里森竞选活动中的大部分决策都由辉格党领导人制定,他们中的一些人,特别是亨利·克莱和丹尼尔·韦伯斯特,认为即使哈里森入主白宫后,他们依然可以继续控制他Sd[dY(2T6Wufr。但是哈里森看到了所发生的一切mZA]3By]_w。1840年末,他前往克莱的家乡肯塔基州[zs)nRHAIVexW(C。哈里森明确表示他不想和克莱见面,他担心这样的会面会显露出克莱才是新政府的真正掌权人jS!q=G~&IhkzaQ

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译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!

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重点单词
  • defeatn. 败北,挫败 vt. 战胜,击败
  • conventionn. 大会,协定,惯例,公约
  • electionn. 选举
  • perfumen. 香水,香气 vt. 使香气弥漫
  • opposedadj. 反对的,敌对的 v. 和 ... 起冲突,反抗
  • unfortunateadj. 不幸的,令人遗憾的,不成功的 n. 不幸的人
  • territoryn. 领土,版图,领域,范围
  • controln. 克制,控制,管制,操作装置 vt. 控制,掌管,支
  • democraticadj. 民主的,大众的,平等的
  • spokev. 说,说话,演说