FirstInauguralAddress
托馬斯·傑斐遜/ThomasJefferson
托馬斯·傑斐遜（1743—1826）,《獨立宣言》和《弗吉尼亞宗教自由法案》的起草者、弗吉尼亞大學創建人，也是美國第三任總統。
AceintheHole
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.inauguraladj.就職的，就任的
2.animationn.興奮；生氣；活躍
3.exertionn.努力；費力
4.patriotn.愛國者；愛國主義者
Duringthecontestofopinionthroughwhichwehavepassedtheanimationofdiscussionsandofexertionshassometimeswornanaspectwhichmightimposeonstrangersunusedtothinkfreelyandtospeakandtowritewhattheythink;butthisbeingnowdecidedbythevoiceofthenation,announcedaccordingtotherulesoftheConstitution,allwill,ofcourse,arrangethemselvesunderthewillofthelaw,anduniteincommoneffortsforthecommongood.All,too,willbearinmindthissacredprinciple,thatthoughthewillofthemajorityisinallcasestoprevail,thatwilltoberightfulmustbereasonable;thattheminoritypossesstheirequalrights,whichequallawmustprotect,andtoviolatewouldbeoppression.Letus,then,fellow-citizens,unitewithoneheartandonemind.Letusrestoretosocialintercoursethatharmonyandaffectionwithoutwhichlibertyandevenlifeitselfarebutdrearythings.Andletusreflectthat,havingbanishedfromourlandthatreligiousintoleranceunderwhichmankindsolongbledandsuffered,wehaveyetgainedlittleifwecountenanceapoliticalintoleranceasdespotic,aswicked,andcapableofasbitterandbloodypersecutions.Duringthethroesandconvulsionsoftheancientworld,duringtheagonizingspasmsofinfuriatedman,seekingthroughbloodandslaughterhislong-lostliberty,itwasnotwonderfulthattheagitationofthebillowsshouldreacheventhisdistantandpeacefulshore;thatthisshouldbemorefeltandfearedbysomeandlessbyothers,andshoulddivideopinionsastomeasuresofsafety.Buteverydifferenceofopinionisnotadifferenceofprinciple.Wehavecalledbydifferentnamesbrethrenofthesameprinciple.WeareallRepublicans,weareallFederalists.IftherebeanyamonguswhowouldwishtodissolvethisUnionortochangeitsrepublicanform,letthemstandundisturbedasmonumentsofthesafetywithwhicherrorofopinionmaybetoleratedwherereasonisleftfreetocombatit.Iknow,indeed,thatsomehonestmenfearthatarepublicangovernmentcannotbestrong,thatthisGovernmentisnotstrongenough;butwouldthehonestpatriot,inthefulltideofsuccessfulexperiment,abandonagovernmentwhichhassofarkeptusfreeandfirmonthetheoreticandvisionaryfearthatthisGovernment,theworld』sbesthope,maybypossibilitywantenergytopreserveitself?Itrustnot.Ibelievethis,onthecontrary,thestrongestGovernmentonearth.Ibelieveittheonlyonewhereeveryman,atthecallofthelaw,wouldflytothestandardofthelaw,andwouldmeetinvasionsofthepublicorderashisownpersonalconcern.Sometimesitissaidthatmancannotbetrustedwiththegovernmentofhimself.Canhe,then,betrustedwiththegovernmentofothers?Orhavewefoundangelsintheformsofkingstogovernhim?Lethistoryanswerthisquestion.
Letus,then,withcourageandconfidencepursueourownFederalandRepublicanprinciples,ourattachmenttounionandrepresentativegovernment.Kindlyseparatedbynatureandawideoceanfromtheexterminatinghavocofonequarteroftheglobe;toohigh-mindedtoendurethedegradationsoftheothers;possessingachosencountry,withroomenoughforourdescendantstothethousandthandthousandthgeneration;entertainingaduesenseofourequalrighttotheuseofourownfaculties,totheacquisitionsofourownindustry,tohonorandconfidencefromourfellow-citizens,resultingnotfrombirth,butfromouractionsandtheirsenseofthem;enlightenedbyabenignreligion,professed,indeed,andpracticedinvariousforms,yetalloftheminculcatinghonesty,truth,temperance,gratitudeandtheloveofman;acknowledgingandadoringanoverrulingProvidence,whichbyallitsdispensationsprovesthatitdelightsinthehappinessofmanhereandhisgreaterhappinesshereafter—withalltheseblessings,whatmoreisnecessarytomakeusahappyandaprosperouspeople?Stillonethingmore,fellow-citizens—awiseandfrugalGovernment,whichshallrestrainmenfrominjuringoneanother,shallleavethemotherwisefreetoregulatetheirownpursuitsofindustryandimprovement,andshallnottakefromthemouthoflaborthebreadithasearned.Thisisthesumofgoodgovernment,andthisisnecessarytoclosethecircleofourfelicities.