美国学生历史 第181期:南部各州脱离联邦(5)

 375. The Crittenden Compromise Plan. 375．科里滕登折中计划

Many men hoped that even now secession might be stopped by some compromise. 许多人希望到了这个地步还可以通过妥协来阻止退出联邦的行为。

President Buchanan suggested an amendment¹ to the Constitution, securing slavery in the states and territories. 总统布坎南提议修正《宪法》，在一些州和地方保留奴隶制，

It was unlikely that the Republicans would agree to this suggestion. 共和党不可能接受这个建议，

The most hopeful plan was brought forward in Congress by Senator Crittenden of Kentucky. 来自肯塔基州的参议员科里滕登在国会中提出了一个最有希望的计划，

He proposed that amendments² to the Constitution should be adopted: 他提出，应该通过对《宪法》做如下修正：

(1) to carry out the principle of the Missouri Compromise; （1）执行《密苏里折中》的条款，

(2) to provide that states should be free or slave as their people should determine; （2）规定各个州根据其人民的意愿来确定为自由州还是蓄奴州，

and (3) to pay the slave owners the value of runaway³ slaves. （3）赔偿奴隶拥有者因为奴隶逃跑而带来的损失。

This plan was carefully considered by Congress, and was finally rejected only two days before Lincoln's inauguration⁴. 国会认真考虑了这个计划，但最终在林肯宣誓就职的前两天拒绝了这个计划。

376. Secession of Seven States, 1860~61. 376．7个州退出联邦（1860~1861年）

The South Carolina convention met in Secession Hall, Charleston, on December 17, 1860. 1860年12月17日，南卡罗莱纳州大会在查理斯顿的会议大厦召开。

Three days later it adopted a declaration "that the union now subsisting⁵ between South Carolina and other states, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved." 三天后他们通过一个声明--"维系南卡罗来纳和其他各州的联盟--美利坚合众国，从此解散。"

Six other states soon joined South Carolina.These were Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. 另外6个州迅速加入南卡罗来纳，它们是密西西比、佛罗里达、阿拉巴马、佐治亚、路易斯安那和得克萨斯。

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

3 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

4 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

5 subsisting   

v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human subsisting. 衪是完全的神又是完全的人，且有理性的灵魂和人类血肉之躯。 来自互联网
• The benevolence subsisting in her character draws her friends closer to her. 存在于她性格中的仁慈吸引她的朋友们接近她。 来自互联网