在线英语听力室

THE MAKING OF A NATION 79 - 1850 - Compromise, Part 3

时间:2006-03-03 16:00:00

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

THE MAKING OF A NATION #79 - 1850 - Compromise, Part 3
By Frank Beardsley

Broadcast: Thursday, September 09, 2004

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

THE MAKING OF A NATION -- A PROGRAM IN SPECIAL ENGLISH.

(MUSIC)

TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR REPORT ABOUT THE COMPROMISE OF EIGHTEEN-FIFTY.

VOICE TWO:

IN EIGHTEEN-FIFTY, THE UNITED STATES FACED THE THREAT OF A SPLIT BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STATES. THE TWO SIDES DISAGREED STRONGLY OVER THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY. AT THAT TIME, OWNING SLAVES WAS LEGAL IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. BUT SHOULD SLAVERY BE LEGAL IN NEW TERRITORIES IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY?

THE ISSUE NEEDED TO BE SETTLED. THERE WAS A DANGER OF CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH. SENATOR HENRY CLAY OF KENTUCKY OFFERED A COMPROMISE. CONSERVATIVE SOUTHERN LAWMAKERS REJECTED IT. OTHER LAWMAKERS SUPPORTED IT. THESE MEN BELIEVED IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE UNION OF AMERICAN STATES.

VOICE ONE:

ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP POLITICAL LEADERS, SENATOR DANIEL WEBSTER OF MASSACHUSETTS, SUPPORTED HENRY CLAY'S COMPROMISE. WEBSTER BELIEVED THAT SLAVERY WAS EVIL. YET HE BELIEVED THAT NATIONAL UNITY1 WAS MORE IMPORTANT. HE DID NOT WANT THE NATION TO DIVIDE. HE DID NOT WANT TO SEE THE END OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

DANIEL WEBSTER SPOKE2 TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SENATE. HIS SPEECH WAS AN APPEAL TO BOTH SIDES IN THE DISPUTE.

"I SPEAK TODAY," HE SAID, "TO SAVE THE UNION. I SPEAK TODAY OUT OF A CONCERNED AND TROUBLED HEART. I SPEAK FOR THE RETURN OF A SPIRIT OF UNITY. I SPEAK FOR THE RETURN OF THAT GENERAL FEELING OF AGREEMENT WHICH MAKES THE BLESSINGS3 OF THIS UNION SO SPECIAL TO US ALL."

 
Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster 
VOICE TWO:

SENATOR WEBSTER SPOKE OF HOW HE HATED SLAVERY. HE SPOKE OF HIS FIGHT AGAINST THE SPREAD OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA. BUT HE DISAGREED WITH THOSE WHO WANTED LAWS MAKING SLAVERY ILLEGAL IN NEW TERRITORIES. IT WOULD NOT BE WISE TO PASS SUCH LAWS, HE SAID. THEY WOULD ONLY MAKE THE SOUTH ANGRY. THEY WOULD ONLY PUSH THE SOUTH AWAY FROM THE UNION.

THEN WEBSTER SPOKE ABOUT THE THINGS THE NORTH AND SOUTH HAD DONE TO MAKE EACH OTHER ANGRY.

VOICE ONE:

ONE, HE SAID, WAS THE FAILURE OF THE NORTH TO RETURN RUNAWAY4 SLAVES. HE SAID THE SOUTH HAD GOOD REASON TO PROTEST. IT WAS A MATTER OF LAW. THE LAW WAS CONTAINED IN ARTICLE FOUR OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION.

"EVERY MEMBER OF EVERY NORTHERN LEGISLATURE," WEBSTER SAID, "HAS SWORN TO SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THAT STATES MUST RETURN RUNAWAY SLAVES TO THEIR OWNERS. THIS PART OF THE CONSTITUTION HAS AS MUCH POWER AS ANY OTHER PART. IT MUST BE OBEYED."

VOICE TWO:

NEXT, WEBSTER SPOKE ABOUT THE ABOLITION5 SOCIETIES. THESE WERE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEMANDED AN END TO SLAVERY EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

"I DO NOT THINK THAT ABOLITION SOCIETIES ARE USEFUL," WEBSTER SAID. "AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE THAT THOUSANDS OF THEIR MEMBERS ARE HONEST AND GOOD CITIZENS WHO FEEL THEY MUST DO SOMETHING FOR LIBERTY. HOWEVER, THEIR INTERFERENCE WITH THE SOUTH HAS PRODUCED TROUBLE."

AS AN EXAMPLE, WEBSTER SPOKE ABOUT THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. SLAVERY WAS LEGAL THERE. WEBSTER NOTED6 THAT PUBLIC OPINION IN VIRGINIA HAD BEEN TURNING AGAINST SLAVERY UNTIL ABOLITIONISTS ANGERED THE PEOPLE. AFTER THAT, HE SAID, NO ONE WOULD TALK OPENLY AGAINST SLAVERY. HE SAID ABOLITIONISTS WERE NOT ENDING SLAVERY, BUT HELPING7 IT TO CONTINUE.

VOICE ONE:

THEN WEBSTER SAID THE NORTH ALSO HAD A RIGHT TO PROTEST ABOUT SOME THINGS THE SOUTH HAD DONE.

HE SAID THE SOUTH WAS WRONG TO TRY TO TAKE SLAVES INTO NEW AMERICAN TERRITORIES. HE SAID ATTEMPTS TO DO THIS VIOLATED EARLIER AGREEMENTS TO LIMIT SLAVERY TO AREAS WHERE IT ALREADY EXISTED.

WEBSTER SAID THE NORTH ALSO HAD A RIGHT TO PROTEST STATEMENTS BY SOUTHERN LEADERS ABOUT WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH. SOUTHERNERS OFTEN SAID THAT SLAVES IN THE SOUTH LIVED BETTER LIVES THAN FREE WORKERS IN THE NORTH.

VOICE TWO:

WEBSTER APPEALED TO BOTH SIDES TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER. HE URGED THEM TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT. HE SAID THE SOUTH COULD NEVER LEAVE THE UNION WITHOUT VIOLENCE.

WEBSTER SAID THE TWO SIDES WERE JOINED TOGETHER SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, CULTURALLY, AND IN MANY OTHER WAYS. THERE WAS NO WAY TO DIVIDE THEM. NO CONGRESS, HE SAID, COULD ESTABLISH A BORDER BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH THAT EITHER SIDE WOULD ACCEPT.

VOICE ONE:

IN GENERAL, WEBSTER'S SPEECH TO THE SENATE WAS MODERATE. HE WANTED TO APPEAL TO REASON, NOT EMOTION. YET IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO BE UNEMOTIONAL. HIS VOICE ROSE AS HE FINISHED.

"SECESSION!" HE CALLED OUT. "PEACEABLE SECESSION! YOUR EYES AND MINE WILL NEVER SEE THAT HAPPEN. THERE CAN BE NO SUCH THING AS PEACEABLE SECESSION. WE LIVE UNDER A GREAT CONSTITUTION. IS IT TO BE MELTED AWAY BY SECESSION, AS THE SNOWS OF A MOUNTAIN ARE MELTED AWAY UNDER THE SUN?

"LET US NOT SPEAK OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SECESSION. LET US NOT DEBATE AN IDEA SO FULL OF HORROR. LET US NOT LIVE WITH THE THOUGHT OF SUCH DARKNESS. INSTEAD, LET US COME OUT INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY. LET US ENJOY THE FRESH AIR OF LIBERTY AND UNION."

VOICE TWO:

NORTHERN ABOLITIONISTS QUICKLY CRITICIZED DANIEL WEBSTER'S SPEECH. THEY CALLED HIM A TRAITOR8. YET MOST PEOPLE OF THE NORTH ACCEPTED WEBSTER'S APPEAL FOR COMPROMISE. HIS SPEECH COOLED THE DEBATE THAT THREATENED A COMPLETE BREAK BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH.

THE DISPUTE ABOUT SLAVERY CONTINUED IN THE UNITED STATES. IT WOULD, IN TIME, LEAD TO CIVIL WAR. BUT HISTORIANS SAY WEBSTER'S SUPPORT FOR THE COMPROMISE OF EIGHTEEN-FIFTY PROBABLY HELPED DELAY THAT CRISIS.

VOICE ONE:

DANIEL WEBSTER'S SPEECH WAS NOT THE END OF DEBATE ON THE COMPROMISE. FOUR DAYS LATER, SENATOR WILLIAM SEWARD OF NEW YORK ROSE TO SPEAK.

SEWARD SAID HE OPPOSED ANY COMPROMISE WITH THE SOUTH. HE SAID HE DID NOT WANT SLAVERY IN THE NEW WESTERN TERRITORIES. AND HE URGED A NATIONAL POLICY TO START ENDING SLAVERY EVERYWHERE. . .PEACEFULLY.

SEWARD CRITICIZED DANIEL WEBSTER FOR SPEAKING AGAINST THE ABOLITION SOCIETIES. HE SAID SUCH GROUPS REPRESENTED A MORAL MOVEMENT THAT COULD NOT BE STOPPED. HE SAID THE MOVEMENT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL ALL THE SLAVES IN AMERICA WERE FREE.

VOICE TWO:

SEWARD THEN CRITICIZED ANOTHER SENATOR, JOHN C. CALHOUN OF SOUTH CAROLINA. HE DENOUNCED CALHOUN'S DEMANDS FOR A POLITICAL BALANCE BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH. HE SAID THIS WOULD CHANGE THE UNITED STATES FROM A UNITED, NATIONAL DEMOCRACY TO AN ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT STATES. IN SUCH A SYSTEM, HE SAID, THE MINORITY WOULD BE ABLE TO VETO ACTIONS OF THE MAJORITY.

VOICE ONE:

MANY LAWMAKERS SEEMED TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF CLAY'S COMPROMISE. BUT THEY COULD NOT AGREE ON WHICH PARTS OF IT TO PASS FIRST. SOUTHERN SUPPORTERS WERE AFRAID THAT IF A STATEHOOD BILL FOR CALIFORNIA WAS PASSED FIRST, THEN NORTHERNERS WOULD REFUSE TO PASS THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COMPROMISE. SO SOUTHERNERS WANTED TO INCLUDE ALL PARTS IN ONE BILL.

VOICE TWO:

HOPES FOR THE COMPROMISE INCREASED AFTER THE DEATH OF JOHN C. CALHOUN ON THE LAST DAY OF MARCH, EIGHTEEN-FIFTY. CALHOUN WAS PRO-SLAVERY. HE HAD REFUSED TO COMPROMISE ON THE ISSUE. ONE NEWSPAPER IN CALHOUN'S STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SAID: "THE SENATOR'S DEATH IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY AND HIS OWN HONOR. THE SLAVERY QUESTION WILL NOW BE SETTLED. CALHOUN WOULD HAVE BLOCKED A SETTLEMENT."

VOICE ONE:

A COMMITTEE OF THIRTEEN MEN WAS NAMED TO WRITE A BILL BASED ON HENRY CLAY'S COMPROMISE. THE COMMITTEE HAD SIX MEMBERS FROM SLAVE STATES AND SIX FROM FREE STATES. HENRY CLAY WAS NAMED TO LEAD IT.

THREE WEEKS LATER, THE COMMITTEE OFFERED ITS BILL. IT WAS MUCH LIKE THE COMPROMISE CLAY HAD FIRST PROPOSED. IT MADE CALIFORNIA A FREE STATE. IT CREATED TERRITORIAL9 GOVERNMENTS FOR NEW MEXICO AND UTAH. IT SETTLED THE BORDER DISPUTE BETWEEN TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. IT ENDED THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. AND IT URGED APPROVAL OF A NEW LAW DEALING10 WITH RUNAWAY SLAVES.

VOICE TWO:

FOR ABOUT A MONTH, THE PROPOSED BILL SEEMED TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT ZACHARY TAYLOR. BUT THEN, PRESIDENT TAYLOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD DO EVERYTHING HE COULD TO DEFEAT IT.

THAT WILL BE OUR STORY NEXT WEEK.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM, THE MAKING OF A NATION. YOUR NARRATORS WERE SARAH LONG AND WARREN SCHEER. OUR PROGRAM WAS WRITTEN BY FRANK BEARDSLEY.


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 unity 4kQwT     
n.团结,联合,统一;和睦,协调
参考例句:
  • When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结,并非一团和气。
  • We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前,我们必须加强团结。
2 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
3 blessings 52a399b218b9208cade790a26255db6b     
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福
参考例句:
  • Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马,焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4 runaway jD4y5     
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。
5 abolition PIpyA     
n.废除,取消
参考例句:
  • They declared for the abolition of slavery.他们声明赞成废除奴隶制度。
  • The abolition of the monarchy was part of their price.废除君主制是他们的其中一部分条件。
6 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
7 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
8 traitor GqByW     
n.叛徒,卖国贼
参考例句:
  • The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
  • He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。
9 territorial LImz4     
adj.领土的,领地的
参考例句:
  • The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
  • They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。
10 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。