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It's also been a great solace to me to believe that you're engaged in vindicating to posterity the course that we've pursued for preserving to them, in all their purity, their blessings of self-government, which we had assisted in acquiring for them.
我感到一大安慰的是，我相信你還在兢兢業業地致力于造福子孫后代的事業一一這份事業我們曾為他們爭取過，我們也努力要把他們透明自治的優良體制流傳下去。
If ever the earth has beheld a system of administration conducted with a single and steadfast eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to it, one which, protected by truth, can never known reproach, it is that to which our lives have been devoted.
希望這世界上有一種治理制度，在執行的時候專門有堅定不移的一只眼睛來審視它，監護大眾利益和為之奮斗者的幸福，建立在真理基礎上的制度將永遠與責難無緣，我們一生所致力的也正在這里。
To myself you have been a pillar of support throughout life.
我自己，還有你，畢生都為此鼎力支持。
Take care of me when dead and be assured that I should leave with you my last affections."
請你照顧我的身后之事，也請相信，我的友情永遠和你同在。”
A week later Madison replied—
一個星期后，麥迪遜寫了回信——
"You cannot look back to the long period of our private friendship and political harmony with more affecting recollections than I do.
“在過去的漫長歲月中，你我的友誼與一致的政治觀，總令我在回想時心中無比感動。
If they are a source of pleasure to you, what aren't they not to be to me?
它們為你帶來歡樂，對我又何嘗不是如此？
We cannot be deprived of the happy consciousness of the pure devotion to the public good with Which we discharge the trust committed to us and I indulge a confidence that sufficient evidence will find in its way to another generation to ensure, after we are gone, whatever of justice may be withheld whilst we are here. "
我們肩負人民的信任，為大眾福利鞠躬盡瘁，從中獲得的幸福感是難以泯滅的。我堅信，無論當前對我們的評判怎樣，我們的一切貢獻，身后的下一代人必將給予公斷。”
