VOA慢速英语2014 堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案再次提出了奴隶制问题

（单词翻译）

 

Kansas-Nebraska Act Raises Slavery Issue Once Again 堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案再次提出了奴隶制问题

From VOA Learning English, welcome to The Making of a Nation, our weekly program of American history for people learning American English.  I’m Steve Ember.

这里是美国之音慢速英语建国史话。每周一次美国历史节目以便大家学习英语。我是史蒂夫·埃姆博。

The 1850s were an increasingly tense time in the United States.  Most of the population lived east of the Mississippi River.  But more and more people were moving west.  As western areas became populated they became official territories, and then new states.  The settlement of these areas once again raised the issue of slavery.

19 世纪 50 年代是美国的紧张局势不断升级的年代，那时候大多数人口集中在密西西比河以东。但后来越来越多的人向西部迁移。当这些西部地区人口聚集到一定程度，就成了官方领土，然后就变成了美国新的州。这些殖民地区再次提出了奴隶制问题。

A law passed in 1820, called the Missouri Compromise, extended a line across the map of the United States.  Slavery was legal in areas south of the line.  North of the line, slavery was illegal, except in the state of Missouri.                      

1820年通过的一项名为密苏里妥协法案,这形成一条横跨美国版图的线。在美国南部地区奴隶制是合法的。在这条线以北, 除了在密苏里州，其它地区的奴隶制都是违法的。 

Thirty years later, another political compromise made slavery a local issue instead of a national one.  The Compromise of 1850 said people in the western territories could decide for themselves whether slavery would be legal or illegal.

三十年后,另一个奴隶制政治妥协法案使的奴隶制问题成为地方问题而不再是一个国家问题。1850年奴隶制政治妥协法案称，在西部地区人们可以自己决定是否奴隶制是合法还是非法。

Then, in 1854, Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas proposed another measure.  His legislation would also affect slavery.  It aimed to make the wild, western area known as Nebraska an official territory.

在1854年,伊利诺斯州参议员斯蒂芬·道格拉斯提出另一项措施。他的立法影响了奴隶制。它旨在使未开垦的西部地区-内布拉斯加正式成为美国的领土。

“This is the Great Plains.  This is open territory.  There were Indian tribes settled out there.”

“这是个大平原。这是个开放的领域。曾经有印度部落定居在那里。”

Nicole Etcheson is an historian.  She says white settlers could not move to Nebraska because a government did not yet exist there.  They wanted the U.S. Congress to open the area to settlers.  Investors wanted Congress to act, too, so Nebraska could support a railroad.

妮科尔艾奇逊是一位历史学家。她说，因为内布拉斯加州没有政府，所以白人殖民者不能移民到那里。他们希望美国国会能够为殖民者开放这个地区。同样，投资者业希望国会采取行动，以便支持在内布拉斯加州修建铁路。

Nebraska lies north of the line drawn¹ by the Missouri Compromise of 1820.  As a result, slavery would be banned in the territory.  But slavery was permitted in the state next to Nebraska: Missouri.

内布拉斯加州是位于1820的密苏里妥协法案线以北。这就导致这样一个结果：奴隶制在此领土内是禁止的。但奴隶制在位于内布拉斯加州旁边的密苏里州是允许的。

Slave-holders in Missouri did not want Nebraska to become a free territory.  They were afraid their slaves would flee to it.  They felt threatened by the free states and territories around them.

在密苏里的奴隶主不想让内布拉斯加州成为一个自由的领土。他们害怕他们的奴隶们逃到那里。他们感受到了来自自由州和其周围领地的威胁。

So Senator Douglas proposed that the large Nebraska area be split in two.  The northern part would be known as the Nebraska territory.  The southern part, next to Missouri, would be known as the Kansas territory.  

所以参议员道格拉斯提出将内布拉斯加大地区一分为二。北部地区将会视为内布拉斯加州的领土。而毗邻密苏里的南部地区视为堪萨斯的领土。

The senator said that settlers in both territories had the right to decide whether their lands would accept slavery.  He argued that the Compromise of 1850 had given the same right to people in two other territories -- New Mexico and Utah.  And he claimed that same right was meant for the people of all future territories.

参议员称在这两个地区的殖民者都拥有决定自己土地内是否接受奴隶制的权利。他说在1850的妥协法案里已经赋予了在这两个地区（新的墨西哥和犹他州）人们同样是权利。他又称这也意味着人们未来所有的领土也有同样的权利。

Douglas noted² that in the past, the federal government sought to divide free states from slave states by making a line across a map.  He said dividing up land was not the answer.  He said the people in a state or territory had the right to decide for themselves.  This right was known as “popular sovereignty.” 

道格拉斯说，在过去，联邦政府试图通过一条横跨版图的线从拥有奴隶制的州划分自由州。他说，划分土地不是解决问题的答案。他说，在一个国家或地区的人民有权自己决定。这个权利就被称为“人民主权”

Historian Nicole Etcheson says popular sovereignty required faith in the American political process.

历史学家妮科尔艾奇逊说，人民主权要求对美国政治进程要有信心。

“Stephen Douglas argued that the foundation of American political philosophy is that the people get to decide, voters get to decide issues, and there was no reason they couldn’t decide the slavery issue just like any other political issue.”

“史蒂芬·道格拉斯认为,美国政治哲学的基础是由人民来决定,由选民决定问题,并且任何理由都不能阻拦他们决定奴隶制问题就像他们在决定任何其他政治问题上一样。”

Douglas argued that the Compromise of 1850 took the place of the Missouri Compromise of 1820.  The new Kansas-Nebraska Act, he said, simply recognized the fact that the Missouri Compromise was dead.

道格拉斯认为,1850年的妥协法案取代了1820年的密苏里妥协法案。他说新的堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案只是承认密苏里妥协法案已经无效这一事实。

A number of anti-slavery senators denounced the Kansas-Nebraska bill.  They said it was part of a southern plan to spread slavery wherever possible.  They also said Stephen Douglas was using the measure for political purposes.  They said he wanted to be president, and was hoping to influence voters in southern states. 

一些反奴隶制参议员谴责堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案。他们说这是南部地区尽可能传播奴隶制计划中的一部分，他们还说，史蒂芬·道格拉斯是采样这样的措施是出于政治目的。他们说他想成为总统，并希望影响在南部各州的选民。

Opposition³ to the Kansas-Nebraska bill was extremely strong in the northern states.  In city after city, large public gatherings⁴ were held.  Businessmen organized many of the meetings.  They were angry at Douglas because he had re-opened the dispute about slavery.  They feared that the dispute would hurt the nation’s economy.

堪萨斯——内布拉斯加法案在北部各州遭到了极其强烈地反对。在市城内外人们举行了大型的公众集会。商人组织了很多次会议，他们对道格拉斯重启有关奴隶制的争端而感到气愤。他们担心这场争端会损害国家经济。

Northern religious leaders also united against the bill.  Thousands signed protests and sent them to Congress.  Douglas criticized the clergymen.  He said they should stay out of politics.

北部的宗教领袖也反对该法案。成千上万的人签署了抗议条约并将此送到国会。道格拉斯批评神职人员说,他们应该远离政治。

In the southern United States, the Kansas-Nebraska Act caused little excitement.  Most southerners were not interested in it.  They believed the measure might help the cause of slavery.  But they also believed it might lead to trouble.

堪萨斯—内布拉斯加议法案在美国南部造成一点点的兴奋。大多数南方人都对此不感兴趣。他们认为这项措施可能有助于奴隶制。但他们也认为这可能会导致麻烦。

President Franklin Pierce did not like the bill.  He feared it would re-open the bitter, national debate about slavery.

富兰克林·皮尔斯总统不喜欢这项法案。他担心这将导致整个国家对奴隶制的激烈争论。

However, most members of the U.S. Senate supported the Kansas-Nebraska bill.  It passed easily in the Senate.  The bill had less support in the House of Representatives.  The vote there was close, but the measure passed.

然而,大多数美国参议院成员支持堪萨斯——内布拉斯加法案。这项法案在参议院很容易就通过了，但在众议院该法案支持者很少。虽然投票的结果接近成功，但这项措施却通过了。

President Pierce finally agreed to sign it into law.  In exchange, congressional leaders promised to approve several presidential appointments.

皮尔斯总统最终同意签字使其成为法律。但作为交换条件,国会领导人承诺批准若干总统任命。  

Supporters of the Kansas-Nebraska Act celebrated⁵ its passage.  They fired cannons⁶ as the city of Washington was waking to a new day.                 

堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案的支持者庆祝法案顺利通过。他们放炮为华盛顿城迎接新的一天。

Two senators who opposed the bill heard the noise as they walked down the steps of the capitol building.  One of them said: "They celebrate a victory now. But the echoes they awake will never rest until slavery itself is dead."

两名反对该法案的参议员走下国会大厦的台阶时听到庆祝胜利声音。其中一人说:“虽然他们现在庆祝胜利，但是他们意识到回声永远不会停止,直到奴隶制度消亡。”  

The new law gave the people of Kansas and Nebraska the right to decide if slavery would be legal or illegal.  The vote would depend on who settled in the territories.  It was not likely that people who owned slaves would settle in Nebraska.  However, there was a good chance slave owners would settle in Kansas.          

堪萨斯和内布拉斯加的新法律给了人们有权决定是否奴隶制是合法还是非法。在这片领土上定居者将决定投票结果。奴隶主想定居在内布拉斯加州这是不可能的。然而,奴隶主定居在堪萨斯州到是一个不错的选择南方的团体组织迅速帮助支持奴隶制的人移居到堪萨斯州。    

Groups in the South organized quickly to help pro-slavery settlers move to Kansas.                                                   

At the same time, groups in the North helped free-state settlers move to Kansas.  Historian Nicole Etcheson says some of these settlers were abolitionists who believed slavery was wrong.  But many were simply white farmers looking for new lands to settle.  Ms. Etcheson says these farmers did not care about slavery, but they did not want to live near blacks or compete with slave labor⁷.

同时，北方团体组织帮自由状态的人移居到堪萨斯。历史学家妮科尔艾奇逊说，这些移民者中的一些人是废奴主义者，他们认为奴隶制是错误的。但是大多数人只是普通的寻找新土地定居白人农民。艾奇逊女士说这些农民根本不在乎奴隶制，但他们不想生活在黑人周围或是和竞争奴隶劳动力竞争 。

“It’s that third group of Midwesterners who become crucial because when they get out there to Kansas and they can’t get a fair vote, they become radicalized against slavery.”

“第三组是中西部人他们变得至关重要,因为当他们离开去堪萨斯,他们不能得到公平的投票,他们变的激进地反对奴隶制”。

In Washington, President Pierce appointed Andrew Reeder as governor of the Kansas territory.  Pro-slavery settlers urged Reeder to hold immediate⁸ elections for a territorial⁹ legislature.  They believed they were in the majority.  They wanted a vote before too many free-state settlers moved in.    

在华盛顿,皮尔斯总统任命安德鲁·里德为堪萨斯地区的执政官。支持奴隶制的定居者敦促里德立即举行该地区的立法会选举。他们认为他们占据大多数人。他们想在多数自由定居者搬来之前完成选举。                 

Governor Reeder rejected the demands.  He decided¹⁰ to hold an election, but only for a territorial representative to the national Congress.  On Election Day, hundreds of men from Missouri crossed the border into Kansas.  They voted illegally, and the pro-slavery candidate won.

州长里德拒绝了这一要求。他决定举行大选,但只有领土全国代表大会代表。在选举当天,数百名男子从密苏里州越过边境到了堪萨斯。他们非法投票,支持奴隶制的候选人赢得了选举。

The same thing happened when Kansas finally held an election for a legislature.  Once again, men from Missouri crossed the border into Kansas.  Many of them carried guns. They forced election officials to count their illegal votes.  As a result, almost every pro-slavery candidate was elected to the new legislature.

堪萨斯州终于要举行一次议会选举，同样的事情发了。男子们再次从密苏里州越过边境到了堪萨斯，他们中的许多人带着枪。他们强迫选举官员将非法投票计算在内。结果,几乎每一个支持奴隶制的候选人当选到新的立法机关中。

Nicole Etcheson says many American elections in the 1800s had examples of violence, bad behavior, and wrongdoing.  But the pro-slavery Missourians were extreme.

艾奇逊说妮科尔说，在19世纪许多美国的选举有暴力的例子，破坏的行为，和不法行为。但支持奴隶制的密苏里州是极端行为。

“It was obvious, obvious that there was egregious¹¹ fraud in the elections in Kansas territory.”

“很明显，在堪萨斯境内的选举有严重的欺诈行为。”

She says population counts at the time showed fewer than 3,000 voters in Kansas territory.  But pro-slavery candidates received up to 6,000 votes!

她说，当时的人口计数显示在堪萨斯境内选民人数不到3000，但支持奴隶制的候选人获得了6000票！

The governor ordered an investigation¹².  The investigation showed evidence of wrongdoing in six areas.  New elections were held in those areas.  This time, when only legal votes were counted, many of the pro-slavery candidates were defeated.  Yet there were still enough pro-slavery candidates to hold a majority.

州长下令要求调查。调查显示,在六个地区存在违法行为。在这些地区举行新的选举。这一次,唯一合法选票清点时,许多支持奴隶制的候选人被击败。然而仍有支持奴隶制的候选人占多数。

Andrew Reeder understood he was governing a bitterly divided territory.  He wanted to warn President Pierce about what was happening.

安德鲁·里德明白他管理的领土存在严重的分歧，他想警告皮尔斯总统发生了什么事。

So Reeder went to Washington.  He met with Pierce almost every day for two weeks.  He described how pro-slavery groups in Missouri were interfering¹³ in Kansas.  He said if the state of Missouri refused to deal with the troublemakers¹⁴, then the national government must deal with them.  He asked the president to do something.

所以里德去华盛顿。他在两个星期里几乎每天都会见皮尔斯。他描述了在密苏里州支持奴隶制的团体是如何干涉堪萨斯的选举。他说,如果密苏里州拒绝处理麻烦的制造者,那么国家政府必须处理他们。他要求总统该做点什么。

Pierce agreed that Kansas was a serious problem.  He seemed ready to act.  Reeder returned home and opened the first meeting of the territorial legislature.  The pro-slavery majority quickly voted to move to a town close to the Missouri border.  It also approved several pro-slavery measures.

皮尔斯认为堪萨斯州是一个严重的问题。他似乎准备采取行动。里德回到家,举行了立法机关的第一次会议。支持奴隶制的多数人快速投票决定搬到一个靠近密苏里州边界的小镇。它还批准了几个支持奴隶制的措施。

Governor Reeder vetoed these bills.  But the legislature rejected his veto and passed the new laws.

州长里德否决了这些法案。但是议会否决了他的否定并通过了新的法律。

The Kansas legislature also sent a message to President Pierce.  It wanted him to remove Reeder as governor.  Political pressure was strong, and the president agreed. He named a new governor, Wilson Shannon.  Shannon supported the pro-slavery laws of the legislature. He also said Kansas should become a slave state, like Missouri.

堪萨斯州的立法机构也给皮尔斯总统发出了一个信息。要求他解除里德州长。政治压力是强烈，而总统同意解除里德州长。他任命了一位新的州长，威尔逊香·香农，他支持奴隶制立法的法律机构。他还说，堪萨斯州应该成为一个实行奴隶制的州，如同密苏里州。

Kansas settlers who had voted against slavery became extremely angry.  Soon, the situation became violent.

堪萨斯州曾投票反对奴隶制的殖民者变得非常生气。不久,情况变得暴力起来。

The events known as “Bleeding Kansas” will be our story next week.

这就是被称为“堪萨斯内战” 的事件，这将会在下周我们的故事。