[영어로 읽는 세기의 名연설] ④ 토머스 제퍼슨 대통령 취임 연설

"We are all Republicans: we are all Federalists."

미국 헌법을 기초한 토머스 제퍼슨(Thomas Jefferson · 1743~1826년)은 실사구시를 지향한 정열적 지도자로 평가받고 있다.

이상과 현실적 제약의 접점을 찾아 영도력을 발휘한 그는 제퍼슨 민주주의 전통을 세워 미국이 민주주의 종주국의 하나로 발전하는 데 공로를 세웠다.

이 연설문은 그가 1801년 3월4일 대통령 취임식에서 행한 연설문이다.

강력한 중앙정부에 반대했던 그가 자기의 생각을 수정해 연방정부를 강화시키기로 한 대목이 눈길을 끈다.

Friends and Fellow Citizens，

Called upon to undertake the duties of the first executive office of our country，I avail myself of the presence of that portion of my fellow citizens which is here assembled，to express my grateful thanks for the favor with which they have been pleased to look toward me，to declare a sincere consciousness，that the task is above my talents，and that I approach it with those anxious and awful presentments which the greatness of the charge，and the weakness of my power，so justly inspire.

A rising nation，spread over a wide and fruitful land，traversing all the seas with the rich productions of their industry，engaged in commerce with nations who feel power and forget right，advancing rapidly to destinies beyond the reach of mortal eye？

when I contemplate these transcendent objects，and see the honor，the happiness，and the hope of this beloved country committed to the issue and the auspices of this day，I shrink from the contemplation，and humble myself before the magnitude of the undertaking.

Utterly，indeed，should I despair，did not the presence of many whom I see here remind me that，in the other high authorities provided by our Constitution，I shall find resources of wisdom，of virtue，and of zeal，on which to rely under all difficulties.

To you，then，gentlemen，who are charged with the sovereign functions of legislation，and to those associated with you，I look with encouragement for that guidance and support which may enable us to steer with safety the vessel in which we are all embarked，amidst the conflicting elements of a troubled world.

During the contest of opinion through which we have passed，the animation of discussions and of exertions has sometimes worn an aspect which impose on strangers unused to think freely，and to speak and to write what they think: but this being now decided by the voice of the nation，announce according to the rules of the Constitution，all will，of course，arrange themselves under the will and unite in common efforts for the common good.

All，too，will bear in mind this sacred principle，that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail，that will，to be rightful，must be reasonable: that the minority possess their equal rights，which equal laws must protect，and to violate which would be oppression.

Let us then，fellow？

citizens，unite with one heart and one mind: let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but very dreary things.

And let us reflect that，having banished from our land that religious intolerance under which mankind so long bled and suffered，we have yet gained little，if we countenance a political intolerance，as despotic，as wicked，and as capable of as bitter and bloody persecutions.

During the throes and convulsions of the ancient world，during the agonizing spasms of infuriated man，seeking through blood and slaughter his long？

lost liberty，it was not wonderful that the agitation of the billows should reach even this distant and peaceful shore: that this should be more felt by some，and less by others，and should divide opinions as to measures of safety: but every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.

We have called by different names brethren of the same principle.

We are all Republicans: we are all Federalists.

If there be any among us who wish to dissolve this Union，or to change its republican form，let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated，where reason is left free to combat it.

I know，indeed，that some honest men fear that a republican government cannot be strong，that this Government is not strong enough: but would the honest patriot，in the full tide of successful experiment，abandon a government which has so far kept us free and firm，on the theoretic and visionary fear，that this Government，the world's best hope，may，by possibility，want energy to preserve itself？

I trust not.

I believe it the only one where every man，at the call of the law，would fly to the standard of the law，and would met invasion of the public order as his own personal concern.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government itself.

Can he，then，be trusted with the government of others？

Or have we found angels，in the form of kings，to govern him？

Let history answer this question.

→ 다음호에 계속

오춘호 한국경제신문 연구위원 ohchoon@hanmyung.net


▶ Verbs & Idioms

△ transcendent : 탁월한, 뛰어난

△ intercourse : 교제, 왕래

△ affection : 애정, 감정

△ intolerance : 참을수 없음, 옹졸

△ countenance : 표정, 안색

△ despotic : 전제적인, 독재의

△ throes : 진통, 과도기의 혼란

△ convulsions : 격동, 변동