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110. The Stamp Act Congress, 1765.
110．《印花稅法案》議會（1765年）
Colonial congresses were no new thing. There had been many meetings of governors and delegates from colonial assemblies. The most important of the early congresses was the Albany Congress of 1754. It was important because it proposed a plan of union. The plan was drawn up by Benjamin Franklin. But neither the king nor the colonists liked it, and it was not adopted. All these earlier congresses had been summoned by the king's officers to arrange expeditions against the French or to make treaties with the Indians. The Stamp Act Congress was summoned by the colonists to protest against the doings of king and Parliament.
殖民地議會并不是一個新 生事物，已經(jīng)召開過多次由政府官員和來自殖民集會的代表共同參加的會議，早期議會中最重要的要數(shù)1754年的奧爾巴尼議會。說它重要是因為這次會議提出一個聯(lián)邦計劃，此計劃由本杰明o 富蘭克林提出，但是國王和殖民者都不喜歡這個計劃，它沒有被采納。早期的議會都是由國王派出的官員召集，其目的或組織對法國的遠征，或為了與印第安人締結(jié)條約。《印花稅法案》議會的召開是殖民者召開用以反抗國王和議會做出的決定。
111. Work of the Stamp Act Congress.
111．印花稅法案議會的工作
Delegates from nine colonies met at New York in October, 1765. They drew up a "Declaration of the Rights and Grievances of the Colonists." In this paper they declared that the colonists, as subjects of the British king, had the same rights as British subjects living in Britain, and were free from taxes except those to which they had given their consent. They claimed for themselves the right of trial by jury-which might be denied under the Stamp Act. But the most important thing about the congress was the fact that nine colonies had put aside their local jealousies and had joined in holding it. PATRICK HENRY "I am not a Virginian, but an American."
1765年10月，來自九個殖民地的代表齊聚紐約，他們起草一份"關(guān)于殖民者權(quán)力和艱難處境的宣言"。在這份宣言中，他們宣稱作為不列顛國王子民的殖民地居民與居住在不列顛的 子民擁有同樣的權(quán)力。除非得到他們自己的同意， 他們不繳納任何稅賦；他們宣告自己通過陪審團做出審判的權(quán)力（按照印花稅法案，應該否定這一點）。但這次議會最重要的是一個事實，即九個殖民地都先擱置彼此的猜忌，共同參與到議會中來。
112. Franklin's Examination.
112．對富蘭克林的審查
Born in Boston, Benjamin Franklin ran away from home and settled at Philadelphia. By great exertion and wonderful shrewdness he rose from poverty to be one of the most important men in the city and colony. He was a printer, a newspaper editor, a writer, and a student of science. With kite and string he drew down the lightning from the clouds and showed that lightning was a discharge of electricity. He was now in London as agent for Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. His scientific and literary reputation gave him great influence. He was examined at the bar of the House of Commons. Many questions and answers were arranged beforehand between Franklin and his friends in the House. But many questions were answered on the spur of the moment. Before the passage of the Stamp Act the feeling of the colonists toward Britain had been "the best in the world." So Franklin declared. But now, he said, it was greatly altered. Still an army sent to America would find no rebellion there. It might, indeed, make one. In conclusion, he said the repeal of the act would not make the colonists any more willing to pay taxes.
本杰明富蘭克林出生在波士頓，他從家中逃到費城定居，并以其努力和驚人的聰明才智由一個窮小子變成這個城市和殖 民地最為顯赫的人。他做過印刷工人、報紙編輯和作家，并熱衷于科學研究，他用風箏和導線將電從云層中引導下來以證明打雷就是放電。現(xiàn)在，本杰明富蘭克林是馬薩諸塞和賓夕法尼亞在倫敦的代理人。在科學和文學方面的名氣使得他頗具感召力，下議院對他進行了審查。人們準備了許多問題和答案，供議員們向本杰明o富蘭克林發(fā)問，但是，本杰明o 富蘭克林隨機對許多問題做出回答。他說，在通過印花稅法案之前殖民者對不列顛的感情是"世界上最好的 "，但是，現(xiàn)在這種感情幾乎沒有了。 將一支軍隊派到美洲仍然可以保證那里一片太平，而這么做實質(zhì)上可能導致一場真正的叛亂。總之， 他認為即使廢除《印花稅法案》也不會再讓殖民者甘心納稅。
