LESSON 70

SOUTH CAROLINA

南卡罗来纳州

Robert Young Hayne, 1791-1840, was born in Colleton District, South Carolina, and studied and practiced law at Charleston. He was early elected to the State Legislature, and became Speaker of the House and Attorney-general of the state. He entered the Senate of the United States at the age of thirty-one. He was Governor of South Carolina during the “Nullification” troubles in 1832 and 1833. Mr. Hayne was a clear and able debater, and a stanch advocate of the extreme doctrine of “State Rights.” In the Senate he opposed the Tariff Bill of 1828; and, out of this struggle, grew his famous debate with Daniel Webster in 1830. The following selection is an extract from Mr. Hayne’s speech on that memorable occasion.

If there be one state in the Union, Mr. President, that may challenge comparison with any other, for a uniform, zealous, ardent, and uncalculating devotion to the Union, that state is South Carolina. Sir, from the very commencement of the Revolution, up to this hour, there is no sacrifice, however great, she has not cheerfully made; no service she has ever hesitated to perform.

She has adhered to you in your prosperity; but in your adversity she has clung to you with more than filial affection. No matter what was the condition of her domestic affairs; though deprived of her resources, divided by parties, or surrounded by difficulties, the call of the country has been to her as the voice of God. Domestic discord ceased at the sound; every man became at once reconciled to his brethren, and the sons of Carolina were all seen, crowding to the temple, bringing their gifts to the altar of their common country.

What, sir, was the conduct of the South, during the Revolution? Sir, I honor New England for her conduct in that glorious struggle. But great as is the praise which belongs to her, I think at least equal honor is due to the South. Never were there exhibited, in the history of the world, higher examples of noble daring, dreadful suffering, and heroic endurance, than by the whigs of Carolina, during the Revolution. The whole state, from the mountains to the sea, was overrun by an overwhelming force of the enemy. The fruits of industry perished on the spot where they were produced, or were consumed by the foe.

The plains of Carolina drank up the most precious blood of her citizens. Black, smoking ruins marked the places which had been the habitation of her children. Driven from their homes into the gloomy and almost impenetrable swamps, even there the spirit of liberty survived, and South Carolina, sustained by the example of her Sumters and her Marions, proved, by her conduct, that though her soil might be overrun, the spirit of her people was invincible.

【中文阅读】

总统先生，如果合众国有一个州，与其他任何一个州就与合众国步调保持一致，对合众国怀有满腔热忱和无限忠诚进行比较的话，那么这个州无疑就是南卡罗来纳州。先生，从革命之初一直到此时此刻，如果没有牺牲的话，她就不会令人愉快地取得巨大的胜利；她在任何时候都会毫不犹豫地履行义务。

在你顺利时，她追随你；在你陷于逆境时，她以超越了子女对母亲的爱坚定地支持你。不论自己内部事务多么复杂，她都义无反顾。尽管剥夺了她的资源，党派分化，困难环伺，对她而言国家的召唤就是上帝的呼唤。内部纷争一旦停止，大家马上恢复兄弟一般的情谊，卡罗莱纳的儿女们齐聚到神庙前，向他们共同的国家的祭坛献上他们的礼物。

先生，在大革命期间南卡罗来纳州的准则是什么？先生，我对新英格兰在那场辉煌的斗争中的表现表示尊敬，但是最应该赞美的应该是她，我认为至少应该给予南卡罗来纳州同样的荣誉。在世界历史上，从来没有谁像南卡罗莱纳的辉格党人那样，在独立革命期间表现得那样崇高，承受那么大的苦难，具有英雄般的忍耐力。整个南卡罗来纳州，从高山到海洋，遭受到敌人巨大的蹂躏和破坏。工业成果在曾经结出硕果的地方消亡，或者被敌人消耗殆尽。

卡罗莱纳州广袤的平原上流淌着她的公民的鲜血。冒着黑烟的废墟表明这里曾经是她的孩子生活的家园。他们被从家园赶了出来，进了阴暗和几乎无法穿行的沼泽。甚至在那个恶劣的环境里，自由精神仍旧得以幸存下来；以她的英雄萨姆特和马里昂为榜样的南卡罗来纳人，通过自己的行为证明了，尽管她的土地可以被蹂躏，可她的人民的精神坚不可摧。