226. Death of Washington, 1799.
226.華盛頓的去世(1799年)
In the midst of this excitement George Washington died. People forgot how strongly he had taken the Federalist side in the last few years, and united to do honor to his memory. Henry Lee spoke for the nation when he declared that Washington was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." To this day, we commemorate Washington's birthday as we do that of no other man, though of late years we have begun to keep Lincoln's birthday also. PRESIDENT WASHINGTON, 1790. "Observe good faith and justice towards all nations." -Farewell Address.
在這個群情激昂的時期,華盛頓去世了。人們并不在意他近幾年怎樣堅決地維護聯邦黨的立場,一致向他表示敬意和紀念。亨利·李為全國人民說出了心聲,他宣稱華盛頓"是戰爭領袖、和平領袖,也是他同胞心中的領袖"。直至今天,盡管我們在后來的歲月也開始紀念林肯的生日,但我們用獨一無二的真誠紀念華盛頓的誕辰。
227. Election of 1800.
227.1800年大選
It was for a moment only that the noise of party conflict was hushed by the death of America's first President. The strife soon began anew. Indeed, the election of 1800 was fought with a vigor and violence unknown before, and scarcely exceeded since. John Adams was the Federalist candidate, and he was defeated. Jefferson and Burr, the Republican candidates, each received seventy-three electoral votes. But which of them should be President? The Republican voters clearly wished Jefferson to be President. But the Federalists had a majority in the House of Representatives. They had a clear legal right to elect Burr President. But to do that would be to do what was morally wrong. After a useless struggle the Federalists permitted Jefferson to be chosen, and he was inaugurated on March 4, 1801.
美國首位總統的逝世僅僅是暫時平息了黨派沖突的喧囂,黨派之間的爭斗很快重新開始,實際上,1800年總統大選無論在投入還是爭斗激烈程度上都是空前的,并且,之后的總統大選也很少有這種態勢。約翰o亞當斯是聯邦黨推出的候選人,但他被擊敗,共和黨的候選人杰斐遜和伯爾各得73張選舉人票,但他們誰應該是當選總統?共和黨的投票者顯然希望杰斐遜當選,但是,聯邦黨在眾議院中有絕大多數席位,他們顯然有合法的權力選舉伯爾為總統,而這樣一來就是做一件違背道德的事。經過一場無謂的爭論之后,聯邦黨接受杰斐遜當選。杰斐遜與1801年3月4日宣誓就職。