大陸會議 美利堅十三個聯合邦壹致通過的宣言
在有關人類事務的發展過程中，當壹個民族必須解除其和另壹個民族之間的政治聯系，並在世界各國之間依照自然法則和自然神明 ，取得獨立和平等的地位時，出於對人類公意的尊重，必須宣布他們不得不獨立的原因。
我們認為下面這些真理是不言而喻的：造物者創造了平等的個人，並賦予他們若幹不可剝奪的權利，其中包括生命權、自由權和追求幸福的權利。為了保障這些權利，人們才在他們之間建立政府，而政府之正當權力，則來自被統治者的同意。任何形式的政府，只要破壞上述目的，人民就有權利改變或廢除它，並建立新政府；新政府賴以奠基的原則，得以組織權力的方式，都要最大可能地增進民眾的安全和幸福。的確，從慎重考慮，不應當由於輕微和短暫的原因而改變成立多年的政府。過去的壹切經驗也都說明，任何苦難，只要尚能忍受，人類都寧願容忍，而無意廢除他們久已習慣了的政府來恢復自身的權益。但是，當政府壹貫濫用職權、強取豪奪，壹成不變地追逐這壹目標，足以證明它旨在把人民置於絕對專制統治之下時，那麼，人民就有權利，也有義務推翻這個政府，並為他們未來的安全建立新的保障－－這就是這些殖民地過去逆來順受的情況，也是它們現在不得不改變以前政府制度的原因。當今大不列顛國王的歷史，是壹再損人利己和強取豪奪的歷史，所有這些暴行的直接目的，就是想在這些邦建立壹種絕對的暴政。為了證明所言屬實，現把下列事實向公正的世界宣布。
他拒絕批準對公眾利益最有益、最必要的法律。他禁止他的總督們批準急需和至關重要的法律，要不就把這些法律擱置起來暫等待他的同意；壹旦這些法律被擱置起來，他就完全置之不理。 他拒絕批準允許將廣大地區供民眾墾殖的其他法律，除非那些人民情願放棄自己在立法機關中的代表權；但這種權利對他們有無法估量的價值，只有暴君才畏懼這種權利。 他把各地立法機構召集到既不方便、也不舒適且遠離公文檔案保存地的地方去開會，其唯壹的目的是使他們疲於奔命，順從他的意旨。他壹再解散各殖民地的議會，因為它們堅定果敢地反對他侵犯人民的各項權利。在解散各殖民地議會後，他又長時間拒絕另選新議會。但立法權是無法被取消的，因此這項權力已經回到廣大人民手中並由他們來行使；其時各邦仍然險象環生，外有侵略之患，內有動亂之憂。 他竭力抑制各殖民地增加人囗，為此，他阻撓《外國人歸化法律》的通過，拒絕批準其他鼓勵外國人移居各邦的法律，並提高分配新土地的條件。
他拒絕批準建立司法權力的法律，藉以阻撓司法公正。他控制了法官的任期、薪金數額和支付，從而讓法官完全從屬於他個人的意誌。他建立多種新的衙門，派遣蝗蟲般多的官員，騷擾我們人民，並蠶食民脂民膏。在和平時期，未經我們立法機關的同意，他就在我們中間駐紮常備軍。
他使軍隊獨立於民政權力之外，並淩駕於民政權力之上。他同壹些人勾結，把我們置於壹種與我們的體制格格不入、且不為我們的法律認可的管轄之下；他還批準這些人炮制的假冒法案，來到達下述目的 :
在我們這裏駐紮大批武裝部隊；用假審訊來包庇他們，使那些殺害我們各邦居民的謀殺者逍遙法外； 切斷我們同世界各地的貿易；未經我們同意便向我們強行徵稅；在許多案件中剝奪我們享有陪審團的權益；編造罪名把我們遞解到海外去受審；在壹個鄰近地區 廢除英國法律的自由制度，在那裏建立專橫政府，並擴大它的疆界，企圖使之迅即成為壹個樣板和得心應手的工具，以便向這裏的各殖民地推行同樣的專制統治； 取消我們的特許狀，廢除我們最寶貴的法律，並且從根本上改變了我們的政府形式；中止我們自己的立法機構，宣稱他們自己在任何情況下都有權為我們立法。他宣布我們已不在他的保護之下，並向我們開戰，從而放棄了這裏的政權。他在我們的海域大肆掠奪，蹂躪我們的海岸，焚燒我們的市鎮，殘害我們人民的生命。此時他正在運送大批外國傭兵來完成屠殺、破壞和肆虐的勾當，這種勾當早就開始，其殘酷卑劣甚至在最野蠻的時代也難出其右。他完全不配做壹個文明國家的元首。他強迫在公海被他俘虜的我們公民同胞充軍，反對自己的國家，成為殘殺自己朋友和親人的創子手，或是死於自己朋友和親人的手下。
他在我們中間煽動內亂，並且竭力挑唆那些殘酷無情的印第安人來殺掠我們邊疆的居民。眾所周知，印第安人的作戰方式是不分男女老幼，壹律格殺勿論。
在這些壓迫的每壹階段中，我們都曾用最謙卑的言辭請求救濟， 但我們壹再的請願求所得到的答覆卻是壹再的傷害。這樣，壹個君主，在其品行格已打上了可以看作是暴君行為的烙印時，便不配做自由人民的統治者。
我們不是沒有顧念我們英國的弟兄。我們壹再警告過他們，他們的立法機關企圖把無理的管轄權橫加到我們的頭上。我們也提醒過他們，我們移民並定居來這裏的狀況。我們曾經呼喚他們天生的正義感和俠肝義膽，我們懇切陳詞，請他們念在同文同種的份上，棄絕這些必然會破壞我們彼此關系和往來的無理掠奪。對於這種來自正義和基於血緣的呼聲，他們卻也同樣置若罔聞。迫不得已，我們不得不宣布和他們分離。我們會以對待其他民族壹樣的態度對待他們：戰時是仇敵，平時是朋友。
因此，我們，集合在大陸會議下的美利堅聯合邦的代表，為我們各項正當意圖，籲請全世界最崇高的正義：以各殖民地善良人民的名義並經他們授權，我們極為莊嚴地宣布，這些聯合壹致的殖民地從此成為、而且是名正言順地成為自由和獨立的國家；它們解除效忠英國王室的壹切義務，它們和大不列顛國家之間的壹切政治關系從此全部斷絕，而且必須斷絕；作為自由獨立的國家，它們完全有權宣戰、媾和、結盟、通商和采取獨立國家理應采取和處理的壹切行動和事宜。為了強化這篇宣言，我們懷著深信神明保佑的信念，謹以我們的生命、財富和神聖的榮譽，相互保證，***同宣誓。
翻譯:任東來
任東來在《美國歷史文獻選集》的譯文（中國翻譯出版公司翻譯，美國駐華大使館新聞文化處出版，1985）和《1765－－1917年的美國》的譯文（謝德風等選譯，北京三聯書店，1957）基礎上重譯。
作者： 月漂星海 2005-4-25 09:52 回復此發言
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THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
July 4, 1776
In Congress, July 4, 1776,
THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to the m shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Des potism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
作者： 月漂星海 2005-4-25 09:52 回復此發言
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He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands .
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into t hese Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the H ead of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
作者： 月漂星海 2005-4-25 09:52 回復此發言
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He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and sett lement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf t o the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Bri tain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. An d for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
JOHN HANCOCK, President
Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary
New Hampshire: JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON
Massachusetts-Bay: SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY
Rhode Island: STEPHEN HOPKINS, WILLIAM ELLERY
Connecticut: ROGER SHERMAN, SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OLIVER WOLCOTT
Georgia: BUTTON GWINNETT, LYMAN HALL, GEO. WALTON
Maryland: SAMUEL CHASE, WILLIAM PACA, THOMAS STONE, CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Virginia: GEORGE WYTHE, RICHARD HENRY LEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENJAMIN HARRISON, THOMAS NELSON, JR., FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, CARTER BRAXTON.
New York: WILLIAM FLOYD, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS LEWIS, LEWIS MORRIS
Pennsylvania: ROBERT MORRIS, BENJAMIN RUSH, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN MORTON, GEORGE CLYMER, JAMES SMITH, GEORGE TAYLOR, JAMES WILSON, GEORGE ROSS
Delaware: CAESAR RODNEY, GEORGE READ, THOMAS M'KEAN
North Carolina: WILLIAM HOOPER, JOSEPH HEWES, JOHN PENN
South Carolina: EDWARD RUTLEDGE, THOMAS HEYWARD, JR., THOMAS LYNCH, JR., ARTHUR MIDDLETON
New Jersey: RICHARD STOCKTON, JOHN WITHERSPOON, FRANCIS HOPKINS, JOHN HART, ABRAHAM CLARK
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