Abraham Lincoln 亚伯拉罕.林肯

Carl Sandburg 卡尔.山伯格

Not often in the story of mankind does a man arrive on earth who is both steal and velvet,who is as hard as rock and soft as drifting fog,who knows in his heart and mind the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect． Here and there across centuries come reportS of men alleged to have these contrasts and the incomparable Abraham Lincoln. born 150 years ago this days is an approach if not a perfect realization ofthis character. In the time of the April lilacs in the year l865. Lincoln's death the casket with his body was carried northwest a thousand mi1es and the American people wept as never before. During the four years he was President． He at times, especially in the first three months, took to himself the powers of a dictator. He commanded the most powerful armies tiIl then assembled in modern warfare. He enforced,cruise conscription of soldiers for the first time in American history.

人类历史上并不经常出现一些强权而又公正的领导人物，在这种人身上，暴力与和平这一对矛盾体揉和在一起。坚若磐石却又温和婉转，不可言喻但 又天衣无缝。而据称具有这些特质、诞生于一百五十年前的、今天无与伦比的亚伯拉罕·林肯，如果不是这当中最完美的一个，也是最近乎完美的一个。1863年4月丁香花开的日子里，他的灵枢向西北行进了一千多英里，美国人民前所未有地伤心哭泣，在四年的总统任期中，尤其是在头三个月里，他时常运用独裁者的权力。他命令强大的军队集结投入现代战争，他在美国历史上首次厉行海军征兵制度。

And under imperative necessity,he abolished the writ of habeas corpus.He directed politically and spiritually the wild, massive turbulent forces let lose in CiviI War, a war truly as time has shown.of brothers. He argued and pleaded for compensated emancipation of the slaves. The slaves were property. They were on the tax books along with horses and cattle. the valuation ofeach slave written next to his name on the tax assessor's books. And failing to get action of compensated emancipation； he took the only other course. As a Chief Executive having war powers he issued the paper by which he declared the slaves to be free under military necessity People, people in many other countries take Lincoln now for their own. He belongs to them. He stands for decency, honest dealing. plain talk and funny stories． Look where he came from, don't you know he was a struggler and wasn't he a kind of tough struggler？ All his life right up to the finish. Something like that you can hear in a nearby neighborhood and across the seas, Millions there are who take Lincoln as a personal treasure, He had something they would like to see spread everywhere all over the world．Democracy we can't find the words to say exactly what it is, but he had it． In his blood and bones he carried it． In the breath of his speeches and writings it is there. Popular government, republican institutions government where the people had the say so, one way or another telling there elected leaders what they want． He had the idea, he embodied it．It's their in the lights and shadows of his personality. A mystery that can be lived but never fully spoken in words.Todays when we say phrhaps that the well assured and most endaring memory onto Lincoln is invisibly there today tomorrow and for a long long time yet to come. It is there in the hearts of the lovers of liberty. Men and women this country has always had them in crisis. Men and women who understand that wherever there is freedom, there have been those who have fought, toiled and sacrificed for it.I thank you.elected leaders what they want． He had the idea, he embodied it．It's their in the lights and shadows of his personality. A mystery that can be lived but never fully spoken in words.

在紧急形势下，他废除了人身保护令。在内战中，他使暴乱军队几乎陷于全面溃灭，虽然时间证明，这场战争纯属兄弟之争。他恳请实行有补偿的奴隶解放政策。在当时，奴隶只是一种私人财产。奴隶们和马儿、猫儿们一起列在税册上，在估税人的册子里，每个奴隶的名字旁边写着他们的价值。在这一动议失败后，作为一个有力量发动战争的行政首脑，他不得不走了另一步， 签署文件：宣布奴隶是自由的，并在有必要的情况下使用武力。于是许多其他国家的人民将林肯视为他们的同胞。他属于人民。他为人正直 诚实而彬彬有礼，他的谈吐直率幽默。看看他的出生吧，难道你不知道他是一个穷人吗，他难道不是一个不屈不挠的奋斗者吗？他的一生总是在不断奋进着。这些事情远远近近你都会有所耳闻。成千上万的人将林肯视为偶像，以他为榜样来激励自己。他有一种他们愿意将之传播到整个世界的财富---民主。我们找不到恰当的词语来描述它到底是什么，但是他能，并且身体力行。他用演说和文章来说明它。人民政府、共和政府部门中的人都认为可以通过这样或那样的方式告诉当选的领袖自己所想要的。他的主见包含在他的思想之中，包含在他个性之中。这是一个只可意会不可言传的神话。

Todays when we say perhaps that the well assured and most endaring memory onto Lincoln is invisibly there today tomorrow and for a long long time yet to come. It is there in the hearts of the lovers of liberty. Men and women this country has always had them in crisis. Men and women who understand that wherever there is freedom, there have been those who have fought, toiled and sacrificed for it.I thank you.

今天，我们会说，怀念林肯最真切而又持久的纪念碑无声地矗立在那里，在今天、明天或以后很长一段时间永存于那些热爱自由事业的人心中。这个国家总有人要付出代价，总有人明白，为了自由，斗争、受苦和牺牲在所难免，谢谢。