【正文】
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 mon 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?! ∥覀冋J(rèn)為下面這些真理是不言而喻的:人人生而平等,造物者賦予他們?nèi)舾刹豢蓜儕Z的權(quán)利,其中包括生命權(quán)、自由權(quán)和追求幸福的權(quán)利。過去的一切經(jīng)驗(yàn)也都說明,任何苦難,只要是尚能忍受,人類都寧愿容忍,而無意為了本身的權(quán)益便廢除他們久已習(xí)慣了的政府。 他禁止他的總督們批準(zhǔn)迫切而極為必要的法律,要不就把這些法律擱置起來暫不生效,等待他的同意;而一旦這些法律被擱置起來,他對(duì)它們就完全置之不理?! ∷诮馍⒏髦葑h會(huì)之后,又長期拒絕另選新議會(huì);但立法權(quán)是無法取消的,因此這項(xiàng)權(quán)力仍由一般人民來行使?! ∷逊ü俚娜纹?、薪金數(shù)額和支付,完全置于他個(gè)人意志的支配之下。 他同某些人勾結(jié)起來把我們置于一種不適合我們的體制且不為我們的法律所承認(rèn)的管轄之下;他還批準(zhǔn)那些人炮制的各種偽法案來達(dá)到以下目的: 在我們中間駐扎大批武裝部隊(duì); 用假審訊來包庇他們,使他們殺害我們各州居民而仍然逍遙法外; 切斷我們同世界各地的貿(mào)易; 未經(jīng)我們同意便向我們強(qiáng)行征稅; 在許多案件中剝奪我們享有陪審制的權(quán)益; 羅織罪名押送我們到海外去受審; 在一個(gè)鄰省廢除英國的自由法制,在那裹建立專制政府,并擴(kuò)大該省的疆界,企圖把該省變成既是一個(gè)樣板又是一個(gè)得心應(yīng)手的工具,以便進(jìn)而向這里的各殖民地推行同樣的極權(quán)統(tǒng)治; 取消我們的憲章,廢除我們最寶貴的法律,并且根本上改變我們各州政府的形式; 中止我們自己的立法機(jī)關(guān)行使權(quán)力,宣稱他們自己有權(quán)就一切事宜為我們制定法律。他完全不配作為一個(gè)文明國家的元首。一個(gè)君主,當(dāng)他的品格已打上了暴君行為的烙印時(shí),是不配作自由人民的統(tǒng)治者的。我們?cè)?jīng)向他們天生的正義善感和雅量呼吁,我們懇求他們念在同種同宗的份上,棄絕這些掠奪行為,以免影響彼此的關(guān)系和往來。 為了支持這篇宣言,我們堅(jiān)決信賴上帝的庇佑,以我們的生命、我們的財(cái)產(chǎn)和我們神圣的名譽(yù),彼此宣誓。因此,我們實(shí)在不得不宣布和他們脫離,并且以對(duì)待世界上其它民族一樣的態(tài)度對(duì)待他們:和我們作戰(zhàn),就是敵人;和我們和好,就是朋友。我們時(shí)常提醒他們,他們的立法機(jī)關(guān)企圖把無理的管轄權(quán)橫加到我們的頭上?! ∷谖覀冎虚g煽動(dòng)內(nèi)亂,并且竭力挑唆那些殘酷無情、沒有開化的印第安人來殺掠我們邊疆的居民;而眾所周知,印第安人的作戰(zhàn)規(guī)律是不分男女老幼,一律格殺勿論的?! ∷谖覀兊暮S虼笏谅訆Z,蹂躪我們沿海地區(qū),焚燒我們的城鎮(zhèn),殘害我們?nèi)嗣竦纳??! ∷诤推綍r(shí)期,未經(jīng)我們的立法機(jī)關(guān)同意,就在我們中間維持常備軍?! ∷吡σ种莆覀兏髦菰黾尤丝冢粸榇四康?,他阻撓外國人入籍法的通過,拒絕批準(zhǔn)其它鼓勵(lì)外國人移居各州的法律,并提高分配新土地的條件?! ∷迅髦萘⒎▓F(tuán)體召集到異乎尋常的、極為不便的、遠(yuǎn)離它們檔案庫的地方去開會(huì),唯一的目的是使他們疲于奔命,不得不順從他的意旨。當(dāng)今大不列顛國王的歷史,是接連不斷的傷天害理和強(qiáng)取豪奪的歷史,這些暴行的唯一目標(biāo),就是想在這些州建立專制的暴政。當(dāng)任何形式的政府對(duì)這些目標(biāo)具破壞作用時(shí),人民便有權(quán)力改變或廢除它,以建立一個(gè)新的政府;其賴以奠基的原則,其組織權(quán)力的方式,務(wù)使人民認(rèn)為唯有這樣才最可能獲得他們的安全和幸福。 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 o