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Yet, with all this scope of precedent, I now enter upon the same task for the brief constitutional term of four years under great and peculiar difficulty.
然而，盡管有這么多可供參考的先例，我現在將在憲法所規定的短短四年任期中來擔任這同一任務，卻面臨著巨大的非同一般的困難。
A disruption of the Federal Union, heretofore only menaced, is now formidably attempted.
在此以前，分裂聯邦只是受到了威脅，而現在卻是已出現力圖分裂它的可怕行動了。
I hold that in contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is perpetual.
從一般法律和我們的憲法來仔細考慮，我堅信，我們各州組成的聯邦是永久性的。
Perpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national governments.
在一切國民政府的根本大法中永久性這一點，雖不一定寫明，卻是不言而喻的。
It is safe to assert that no government proper ever had a provision in its organic law for its own termination.
我們完全可以肯定說，沒有一個名副其實的政府會在自己的根本法中定出一條，規定自己完結的期限。
Continue to execute all the express provisions of our National Constitution, and the Union will endure forever,
繼續執行我國憲法所明文規定的各項條文，聯邦便將永遠存在下去
it being impossible to destroy it except by some action not provided for in the instrument itself.
除了采取并未見之于憲法的行動，誰也不可能毀滅掉聯邦。
Again: If the United States be not a government proper, but an association of States in the nature of contract merely, can it, as a contract,
還有，就算合眾國并不是個名副其實的政府，而只是依靠契約成立的一個各州的聯合體，那既有契約的約束，
be peaceably unmade by less than all the parties who made it?
若非參加這一契約的各方一致同意，我們能說取消就把它取消嗎?
One party to a contract may violate it—break it, so to speak—but does it not require all to lawfully rescind it?
參加訂立契約的一方可以違約，或者說毀約；但如果合法地取消這一契約，豈能不需要大家一致同意嗎?
Descending from these general principles, we find the proposition that in legal contemplation the Union is perpetual confirmed by the history of the Union itself.
從這些總原則出發，我們發現，從法學觀點來看，聯邦具有永久性質的提法，是為聯邦自身的歷史所證實的。
The Union is much older than the Constitution.
聯邦本身比憲法更為早得多。
It was formed, in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774.
事實上，它是由1774年，簽訂的《聯合條款》建立的。
It was matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
到1776年的《獨立宣言》才使它進一步成熟和延續下來。
It was further matured, and the faith of all the then thirteen States expressly plighted and engaged that it should be perpetual,by the Articles of Confederation in 1778.
然后，通過1778年的“邦聯條款”使它更臻成熟，當時參加的十三個州便已明確保證要使邦聯永久存在下去。
And finally, in 1787, one of the declared objects for ordaining and establishing the Constitution was "to form a more perfect Union."
最后，到1787年制訂的憲法公開宣布的目的之一，便是“組建一個更為完美的聯邦”。
But if destruction of the Union by one or by a part only of the States be lawfully possible,
但是，如果任何一個州，或幾個州也可以合法地把聯邦給取消掉，
the Union is less perfect than before the Constitution, having lost the vital element of perpetuity.
加這個聯邦可是比它在憲法制訂以前還更不完美了，因為它已失去了它的一個至關重要因素——永久性。
It follows from these views that no State upon its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the Union;
從這些觀點我們可以認定，任何一個州，都不可能僅憑自己動議，便能合法地退出聯邦
