passages from an old volume of life-第22节
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rom；but till then； let us not be cowards with our purses； while brave men are emptying their hearts upon the earth for us； let us not whine over our imaginary ruin； while the reversed current of circling events is carrying us farther and farther； every hour； out of the influence of the great failing which was born of our wealth； and of the deadly sin which was our fatal inheritance！
Let us take a brief general glance at the wide field of discussion we are just leaving。
On Friday； the twelfth day of the month of April； in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty…one； at half…past four of the clock in the morning； a cannon was aimed and fired by the authority of South Carolina at the wall of a fortress belonging to the United States。 Its ball carried with it the hatreds； the rages of thirty years； shaped and cooled in the mould of malignant deliberation。 Its wad was the charter of our national existence。 Its muzzle was pointed at the stone which bore the symbol of our national sovereignty。 As the echoes of its thunder died away； the telegraph clicked one word through every office of the land。 That word was WAR！
War is a child that devours its nurses one after another； until it is claimed by its true parents。 This war has eaten its way backward through all the technicalities of lawyers learned in the infinitesimals of ordinances and statutes； through all the casuistries of divines； experts in the differential calculus of conscience and duty； until it stands revealed to all men as the natural and inevitable conflict of two incompatible forms of civilization； one or the other of which must dominate the central zone of the continent； and eventually claim the hemisphere for its development。
We have reached the region of those broad principles and large axioms which the wise Romans； the world's lawgivers； always recognized as above all special enactments。 We have come to that solid substratum acknowledged by Grotius in his great Treatise： 〃Necessity itself which reduces things to the mere right of Nature。〃 The old rules which were enough for our guidance in quiet times； have become as meaningless 〃as moonlight on the dial of the day。〃 We have followed precedents as long as they could guide us； now we must make precedents for the ages which are to succeed us。
If we are frightened from our object by the money we have spent； the current prices of United States stocks show that we value our nationality at only a small fraction of our wealth。 If we feel that we are paying too dearly for it in the blood of our people； let us recall those grand words of Samuel Adams：
〃I should advise persisting in our struggle for liberty； though it were revealed from heaven that nine hundred and ninety…nine were to perish； and only one of a thousand were to survive and retain his liberty！〃
What we want now is a strong purpose； the purpose of Luther； when he said； in repeating his Pater Noster； fiat voluntas MEA；let my will be done； though he considerately added； quia Tua；because my will is Thine。 We want the virile energy of determination which made the oath of Andrew Jackson sound so like the devotion of an ardent saint that the recording angel might have entered it unquestioned among the prayers of the faithful。
War is a grim business。 Two years ago our women's fingers were busy making 〃Havelocks。〃 It seemed to us then as if the Havelock made half the soldier； and now we smile to think of those days of inexperience and illusion。 We know now what War means； and we cannot look its dull； dead ghastliness in the face unless we feel that there is some great and noble principle behind it。 It makes little difference what we thought we were fighting for at first； we know what we are fighting for now； and what we are fighting against。
We are fighting for our existence。 We say to those who would take back their several contributions to that undivided unity which we call the Nation； the bronze is cast； the statue is on its pedestal； you cannot reclaim the brass you flung into the crucible！ There are rights； possessions； privileges； policies； relations； duties； acquired； retained； called into existence in virtue of the principle of absolute solidarity；belonging to the United States as an organic whole； which cannot be divided； which none of its constituent parties can claim as its own； which perish out of its living frame when the wild forces of rebellion tear it limb from limb； and which it must defend； or confess self…government itself a failure。
We are fighting for that Constitution upon which our national existence reposes； now subjected by those who fired the scroll on which it was written from the cannon at Fort Sumter； to all those chances which the necessities of war entail upon every human arrangement； but still the venerable charter of our wide Republic。
We cannot fight for these objects without attacking the one mother cause of all the progeny of lesser antagonisms。 Whether we know it or not； whether we mean it or not； we cannot help fighting against the system that has proved the source of all those miseries which the author of the Declaration of Independence trembled to anticipate。 And this ought to make us willing to do and to suffer cheerfully。 There were Holy Wars of old； in which it was glory enough to die； wars in which the one aim was to rescue the sepulchre of Christ from the hands of infidels。 The sepulchre of Christ is not in Palestine！ He rose from that burial…place more than eighteen hundred years ago。 He is crucified wherever his brothers are slain without cause； he lies buried wherever man； made in his Maker's image； is entombed in ignorance lest he should learn the rights which his Divine Master gave him！ This is our Holy War； and we must fight it against that great General who will bring to it all the powers with which he fought against the Almighty before he was cast down from heaven。 He has retained many a cunning advocate to recruit for him； he has bribed many a smooth…tongued preacher to be his chaplain； he has engaged the sordid by their avarice； the timid by their fears； the profligate by their love of adventure； and thousands of nobler natures by motives which we can all understand； whose delusion we pity as we ought always to pity the error of those who know not what they do。 Against him or for him we are all called upon to declare ourselves。 There is no neutrality for any single true…born American。 If any seek such a position； the stony finger of Dante's awful muse points them to their place in the antechamber of the Halls of Despair；
With that ill band Of angels mixed； who nor rebellious proved； Nor yet were true to God； but for themselves Were only。〃
Fame of them the world hath none Nor suffers； mercy and justice scorn them both。 Speak not of them； but look； and pass them by。〃
We must use all the means which God has put into our hands to serve him against the enemies of civilization。 We must make and keep the great river free； whatever it costs us； it is strapping up the forefoot of the wild； untamable rebellion。 We must not be too nice in the choice of our agents。 Non eget Mauri jaculis；no African bayonets wanted；was well enough while we did not yet know the might of that desperate giant we had to deal with； but Tros； Tyriusve； white or black；is the safer motto now； for a good soldier； like a good horse； cannot be of a bad color。 The iron…skins； as well as the iron…clads； have already done us noble service； and many a mother will clasp the returning boy； many a wife will welcome back the war… worn husband； whose smile would never again have gladdened his home； but that； cold in the shallow trench of the battle…field； lies the half…buried form of the unchained bondsman whose dusky bosom sheathes the bullet which would else have claimed that darling as his country's sacrifice
We shall have success if we truly will success； not otherwise。 It may be long in coming；Heaven only knows through what trials and humblings we may have to pass before the full strength of the nation is duly arrayed and led to victory。 We must be patient； as our fathers were patient； even in our worst calamities； we must remember that defeat itself may be a gain where it costs our enemy more in relation to his strength than it costs ourselves。 But if； in the inscrutable providence of the Almighty； this generation is disappointed in its lofty aspirations for the race； if we have not virtue enough to ennoble our whole people； and make it a nation of sovereigns； we shall at least hold in undying honor those who vindicated the insulted majesty of the Republic； and struck at her assailants so long as a drum…beat summoned them to the field of duty。
Citizens of Boston； sons and daughters of New England； men and women of the North； brothers and sisters in the bond of the American Union； you have among you the scarred and wasted soldiers who have shed their blood for your temporal salvation。 They bore your nation's emblems bravely through the fire and smoke of the battle…field； nay； their own bodies are starred with bullet…wounds and striped with sabre…cuts； as if to mark them as belonging to their country until their dust becomes a portion
