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GIVEMELIBERTYORGIVEMEDEATH/PatrickHenry1.Mr.President:NomanthinksmorehighlythanIdoofthepatriotism,aswellasabilities,oftheveryworthygentlemenwhohavejustaddressedthehouse.Butdifferentmenoftenseethesameobjectindifferentlights;and,therefore,Ihopeitwillnotbethoughtdisrespectfultothosegentlemen,if,entertaining,asIdo,opinionsofacharacterveryoppositetotheirs,Ishallspeakforthmysentimentsfreelyandwithoutreserve.Thisisnotimeforceremony.议长先生：我比任何人更钦佩刚刚在议会上发言的先生们的爱国主义精神和才干。但是，对同样的问题，智者见智，仁者见仁。因此，尽管我的观点与他们大相径庭，但是我仍要把自己的心里话一吐为快，并希望不要因此而被看做是对他们大不敬：现在不是讲客套的时候。Thequestionbeforethehouseisoneofawfulmomenttothiscountry.Formyownpart,Iconsideritasnothinglessthanaquestionoffreedomorslavery.Andinproportiontothemagnitudeofthesubjectoughttobethefreedomofthedebate.Itisonlyinthiswaythatwecanhopetoarriveattruth,andfulfillthegreatresponsibilitywhichweholdtoGodandourcountry.ShouldIkeepbackmyopinionsatsuchatime,throughfearofgivingoffence,Ishouldconsidermyselfasguiltyoftreasontowardmycountry,andofanactofdisloyaltytowardtheMajestyofHeaven,whichIrevereaboveallearthlykings.摆在议会面前的问题关系到国家的存亡。我认为，这是关系到享受自由还是蒙受奴役的关键问题，而且正因为事关重大，我们的辩论就要做到各抒己见。只有这样，我们才能弄清事实的真相，才能不辜负上帝和祖国赋予我们的责任。在这种时刻，如果怕得罪人而闭口不言，我认为就是叛国，就是比对世上所有国君更为神圣的上帝的不忠行为。2.Mr.President,itisnaturaltomantoindulgeintheillusionsofhope.Weareapttoshutoureyesagainstapainfultruth,andlistentothesongofthatsirentillshetransformsusintobeasts.Isthisthepartofwisemen,engagedinagreatandarduousstruggleforliberty?Arewedisposedtobeofthenumberofthosewhohavingeyesseenot,andhavingearshearnot,thethingswhichsonearlyconcerntheirtemporalsalvation?Formypart,whateveranguishofspirititmaycost,I'mwillingtoknowthewholetruth;toknowtheworstandtoprovideforit.议长先生，对希望抱有幻觉是人的天性。我们往往紧闭双眼不去正视痛苦的现实，而是倾听海妖蛊惑人心的歌声，让她把我们变成禽兽。在为自由而进行艰苦卓绝的斗争中，这难道是聪明人的所作所为吗？难道我们愿意为对获得拯救如此至关重要的事情视而不见，听而不闻吗？就我来说，无论精神上有多么痛苦，我仍愿意获悉全部的真相和最坏的事态，并为之做好充分准备。3.Ihavebutonelampbywhichmyfeetareguided,andthatisthelampofexperience.Iknowofnowayofjudgingofthefuturebutbythepast,IwishtoknowwhattherehasbeenintheconductoftheBritishministryforthelasttenyearstojustifythosehopeswithwhichgentlemenhavebeenpleasedtosolacethemselvesandthehouse?Isitthatinsidioussmilewithwhichourpetitionhasbeenlatelyreceived?Trustitnot,sir;itwillproveasnaretoyourfeet.我只有一盏指路明灯，那就是经验之灯。除了过去的经验，我没有其他的方法去判断未来。依据过去的经验，我倒希望知道，十年来英国政府的所作所为，凭什么使得各位先生有理由满怀希望，并欣然用来安慰自己和议会呢？难道就是最近接受我们请愿时的那种狡诈的微笑吗？不要相信这种微笑，阁下，事实证明那是放置在您脚下的陷阱。Suffernotyourselvestobebetrayedwithakiss.Askyourselveshowthisgraciousreceptionofourpetitioncomportswiththosewarlikepreparationswhichcoverourwatersanddarkenourland.Arefleetsandarmiesnecessarytoaworkofloveandreconciliation?Haveweshownourselvessounwillingtobereconciledthatforcemustbecalledintowinbackourlove?Letusnotdeceiveourselves,sir.Thesearetheimplementsofwarandsubjugation—thelastargumentstowhichkingsresort.不要被人家的亲吻把自己出卖了！请你们扪心自问，接受我们请愿时的和蔼亲善与遍布海陆疆域的大规模备战怎么会相称呢？难道出于对我们的爱护和和解，就有必要动用战舰和军队吗？难道我们流露过绝不和解的愿望，因此结果为了重新赢得我们的爱，而必须诉诸武力吗？我们不要再欺骗自己了，阁下，这些都是战争和征服的工具，是国王们采取的最后的辩解手段。4.Iaskgentlemen,sir,whatmeansthismartialarray,ifitspurposebenottoforceustosubmission?Cangentlemenassignanyotherpossiblemotiveforit?HasGreatBritainanyenemyinthisquarteroftheworld,tocallforallthisaccumulationofnaviesandarmies?No,sir,shehasnone.Theyaremeantforus:theycanbemeantfornoother.TheyaresentovertobindandrivetuponusthosechainswhichtheBritishministryhavebeensolongforging.我要请问先生们，阁下，这些战争的部署如果不是为了迫使我们俯首称臣，那又意味着什么？先生们能够指出还有其他的动机吗？难道在世界的这个地方，还有什么敌人值得大不列颠如此兴师动众，调集如此庞大的海陆军队吗？没有了，阁下，什么敌人也没有。他们完全是针对我们的，而不是别人。他们是派来给我们紧紧套上英国政府长期以来铸造的锁链的。5.Andwhathavewetoopposetothem?Shallwetryargument?Sir,wehavebeentryingthatforthelasttenyears.Haveweanythingnewtoofferuponthesubject?Nothing.Wehaveheldthesubjectupineverylightofwhichitiscapable;butithasbeenallinvain.Shallweresorttoentreatyandhumblesupplication?Whattermsshallwefindwhichhavenotalreadybeenexhausted?Letusnot,Ibeseechyou,sir,deceiveourselveslonger.我们用什么来抵抗呢？还要辩论吗？阁下，我们已经辩论了十年。难道对这个问题我们还有什么新鲜观点吗？什么也没有。我们已经把各个方面全考虑过了，但是一切都徒劳枉然。难道我们只得苦苦哀告，微言乞求吗？难道我们还能期望找到什么没有穷尽的说法吗？阁下，我恳求您，我们千万不要再自欺欺人了。6.Sir,wehavedoneeverythingthatcouldbedonetoavertthestormwhichisnowcomingon.Wehavepetitioned;wehaveremonstrated;wehavesupplicated;wehaveprostratedourselvesbeforethethrone,andhaveimploreditsinterpositiontoarrestthetyrannicalhandsoftheministryandParliament.Ourpetitionshavebeenslighted;ourremonstranceshaveproducedadditionalviolenceandinsult;oursupplicationshavebeendisregarded;andwehavebeenspurnedwithcontemptfromthefootofthethrone!Invain,afterthesethings,mayweindulgethefondhopeofpeaceandreconciliation.阁下，为了躲避这场即将降临的风暴，一切该做的事情我们都已经做了。我们请愿过，我们抗议过，我们哀求过：我们曾拜倒在御座之前，恳求制止国会和内阁的残暴行径。我们的请愿遭到蔑视，我们的抗议招致格外的镇压和侮辱，我们的哀求被置之不理，我们被不以为然地从御座前一脚踢开了。全都枉然，事已至此，我们还能沉湎于愚蠢的希望之中吗？Thereisnolongeranyroomforhope.Ifwewishtobefree,ifwemeantopreserveinviolatethoseinestimableprivilegesforwhichwehavebeensolongcontending,ifwemeannotbaselytoabandonthenoblestruggleinwhichwehavebeensolongengaged,andwhichwehavepledgedourselvesnevertoabandonuntilthegloriousobjectofourcontestshallbeobtained—wemustfight!Irepeatit,sir,wemustfight!AnappealtoarmsandtotheGodofHosts