THE CONFEDERATION, 1783~1787 联邦（1783~1787年）

　　167. Problems of Peace. 167．与和平相关的问题

　　The war was over. But the future of the American nation was still uncertain. 战争结束了，但美国这个国家的前途还不确定，

　　Indeed, one can hardly say that there was an American nation in 1783. 实际上，几乎不可以说1783年有一个美国存在。

　　While the war lasted, a sense of danger bound together the people of the different states. 随着战争的延续，各州人民背负上一种危机感，

　　But as soon as this peril ceased, their old jealousies and self-seeking came back. 但是，当这场危机一结束，他们恢复了过去的嫉妒与自私。

　　There was no national government to smooth over these differences and to compel the states to act justly toward one another. 需要一个国民政府来抚平这些差异并迫使各州之间彼此坦诚相待。

　　There was, indeed, the Congress of the Confederation, but it is absurd to speak of it as a national government. 实际上存在一个联邦议会，但说它是一个国民政府是荒唐的。

　　168. The Articles of Confederation, 1781. 168．《联邦条例》（1781年）

　　The Continental Congress began drawing up the Articles of Confederation in June, 1776. 1776年6月大陆议会开始起草一份《联邦条例》，

　　But there were long delays, and each month's delay made it more impossible to form a strong government. 但是这个过程持续了很长一段时间，每个月的推延都在加大成立强大政府的难度。

　　It fell out in this way that the Congress of the Confederation had no real power. 如此一来的结果是，联邦政府没有真正的权力，

　　It could not make a state or an individual pay money or do anything at all. 它根本不能让一个州或个人拿出钱来，也不能让一个州或个人做什么事。

　　In the course of a few years Congress asked the states to give it over six million dollars to pay the debts and expenses of the United States. 国会在几年间要求各州交纳六百万美元以支付美国的外债与开支，

　　It received about a million dollars and was fortunate to get that. 收上来的大约有一百万美元，而且得到这些钱也是出于侥幸。