The「AlternateStatement」ofChiefSeattle
西雅圖酋長/ChiefSeattle
西雅圖酋長（1786—1866），杜瓦米許族印第安人，勇武且善於領導，以酋長身份統治德奧米什和蘇卡米什等6個部落。西雅圖早年受法國傳教士的影響，信仰天主教。他的父親與當地白人建立了友好關係，而他多年來一直維護著這種關係。1855年他與白人簽訂了《埃利澳特港條約》，並建立印第安人保留地，當時美國政府要將當地土人驅逐到「保留地」定居。本文就是西雅圖在美國政府壓力下所給予的答覆。
AceintheHole
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.startlev.使嚇一跳；使驚奇
2.arrestv.吸引
3.budn.芽，萌芽
Yonderskythathaswepttearsofcompassionuponmypeopleforcenturiesuntold,andwhichtousappearschangelessandeternal,maychange.Todayisfair.Tomorrowitmaybeovercastwithclouds.Mywordsarelikethestarsthatneverchange.WhateverSeattlesays,thegreatchiefatWashingtoncanrelyuponwithasmuchcertaintyashecanuponthereturnofthesunortheseasons.
WhiteChiefsaysthatBigChiefatWashingtonsendsusgreetingsoffriendshipandgoodwill.Thisiskindofhimforweknowhehaslittleneedofourfriendshipinreturn.Hispeoplearemany.Theyarelikethegrassthatcoversvastprairies.Mypeoplearefew.Theyresemblethescatteringtreesofastorm-sweptplain.Thegreat,andIpresume—good,WhiteChiefsendsuswordthathewishestobuyourlandsbutiswillingtoallowusenoughtolivecomfortably.Thisindeedappearsjust,evengenerous,fortheRedMannolongerhasrightsthatheneedsrespect,andtheoffermaybewisealso,aswearenolongerinneedofanextensivecountry.
Therewasatimewhenourpeoplecoveredthelandasthewavesofawind-ruffledseacoveritsshell-pavedfloor,butthattimelongsincepassedawaywiththegreatnessoftribesthatarenowbutamournfulmemory.Iwillnotdwellon,normournover,ouruntimelydecay,norreproachmypalefacebrotherswithhasteningit,aswetoomayhavebeensomewhattoblame.
Youthisimpulsive.Whenouryoungmengrowangryatsomerealorimaginarywrong,anddisfiguretheirfaceswithblackpaint,itdenotesthattheirheartsareblack,andthattheyareoftencruelandrelentless,andouroldmenandoldwomenareunabletorestrainthem.Thusithaseverbeen.ThusitwaswhentheWhiteManbegantopushourforefatherseverwestward.Butletushopethatthehostilitiesbetweenusmayneverreturn.Wewouldhaveeverythingtoloseandnothingtogain.Revengebyyoungmenisconsideredgain,evenatthecostoftheirownlives,butoldmenwhostayathomeintimesofwar,andmotherswhohavesonstolose,knowbetter.
OurgoodfatherinWashington—forIpresumeheisnowourfatheraswellasyours,sinceKingGeorgehasmovedhisboundariesfurthernorth—ourgreatandgoodfather,Isay,sendsuswordthatifwedoashedesireshewillprotectus.Hisbravewarriorswillbetousabristlingwallofstrength,andhiswonderfulshipsofwarwillfillourharbors,sothatourancientenemiesfartothenorthward—theHaidasandTsimshians,willceasetofrightenourwomen,childrenandoldmen.Heinrealityhewillbeourfatherandwewillbehischildren.
Butcanthateverbe?YourGodisnotourGod!YourGodlovesyourpeopleandhatesmine!Hefoldshisstrongprotectingarmslovinglyaboutthepalefaceandleadshimbythehandasafatherleadsaninfantson.But,HehasforsakenHisRedchildren,iftheyreallyareHis.
OurGod,theGreatSpirit,seemsalsotohaveforsakenus.YourGodmakesyourpeoplewaxstrongereveryday.Soontheywillfillalltheland.Ourpeopleareebbingawaylikearapidlyrecedingtidethatwillneverreturn.TheWhiteMan』sGodcannotloveourpeopleorHewouldprotectthem.Theyseemtobeorphanswhocanlooknowhereforhelp.Howthencanwebebrothers?HowcanyourGodbecomeourGodandrenewourprosperityandawakeninusdreamsofreturninggreatness?
IfwehaveacommonHeavenlyFather,Hemustbepartial,forHecametoHispalefacechildren.WeneversawHim.HegaveyoulawsbuthadnowordforHisRedchildrenwhoseteemingmultitudesoncefilledthisvastcontinentasstarsfillthefirmament.No,wearetwodistinctraceswithseparateoriginsandseparatedestinies.Thereislittleincommonbetweenus.
Toustheashesofourancestorsaresacredandtheirrestingplaceishallowedground.Youwanderfarfromthegravesofyourancestorsandseeminglywithoutregret.
YourreligionwaswrittenupontabletsofstonebytheironfingerofyourGodsothatyoucouldnotforget.TheRedMancouldnevercomprehendorrememberit.Ourreligionisthetraditionsofourancestors—thedreamsofouroldmen,giventheminsolemnhoursofthenightbytheGreatSpirit;andthevisionsofoursachems,andiswrittenintheheartsofourpeople.