在第二次維吉尼亞大會上的演說
Speech to the Second Virginia Convention

我不知道別人會怎麼做，但是，對於我來說，不自由，毋寧死！

帕特裏克‧亨利 (1736-1799) 是革命事業中的主要愛國者。他生於維吉尼亞，是維吉尼亞殖民地上最成功的律師之一，以其機敏和演說技巧而著稱。1763年，他被選入維吉尼亞議會，直言不諱被鼓吹殖民地的權利。1765年，在反對《印花稅法》的演說中，亨利說，」凱撒有他的布魯圖，查理一世有他的克倫威爾‧喬治三世有……」 (那時他被一片「大逆不道!大逆不道!大逆不道!」的叫喊聲打斷。) 「…但願我們能從他們的例子中獲益，如果這是大逆不道，那就充分利用它吧」。

在日益發展的獨立運動中，亨利發揮了突出的作用。他是第一屆維吉尼亞通訊委員會的成員，也是1774年和1755年大陸議會的代表。以下摘錄的是他最著名的演說，這是他在1775年3月23日於維吉尼亞裏士滿聖約翰教堂裏召開的第二次維吉尼亞大會上發表的演講。這篇演說為給與英國人戰鬥的維吉尼亞民團提供裝備的決議提供了有力的論據。

亨利是維吉尼亞的第一任州長，他在州裏和國家裏還擔任許多其他的公共職務。不過他的永久名聲還是來自這篇1775年發表的慷慨激昂的演說，其結束語是世界聞名的。

……耽於幻想是人的天性。我們很容易無視痛苦的事實，而去聽蠱惑人心的女妖莎琳的歌聲，直至她把我們變成畜牲為止。難道這就是我們那些為自由從事偉大艱苦鬥爭的智者們的一部分嗎？難道我們要與那些有眼看不見，有耳聽不到那些很快就關係到他們現世拯救的事情的人為伍嗎？就我而言，不論在精神上會造成什麼樣的痛苦，我還是願意知道全部真相，瞭解最壞的情況並防備其發生。

我只有一盞指引我走路的燈，這就是經驗之燈。我知道無法判斷未來，但可以根據過去的經歷來作判斷。從過去的經歷來看，我想知道在最近十年裏力英國內閣的行為中有什麼可以證明這些先生們的希望是對的，這些先生們一直樂於以這些希望來慰藉他們自己和議會。難道是他們最近接受我們的請願時的那種陰險的微笑嗎？先生們，請別相信這種微笑，這將證明是設在你們腳下的陷阱。別自討苦吃，被人以一個親吻就出賣了。問問你們自己，這種親切地接受我請願的行動與那些在我們的陸上和水上所作的戰爭準備怎麼相稱。一個表示愛和調和的工作需要艦隊和軍隊嗎？難道我們已經表示如此不願調和，以致要用武力來贏得我們的愛嗎？先生們，我們不要自欺欺人了。這些是戰爭和征服的手段，是國王們訴諸的最後理由。先生們，我問那些先生，如果這種戰爭部署不是要迫使我們屈服，那又是什麼意思？對此，先生們可以提出任何其他 可能的動機嗎？難道大不列顛在世界的這個地區有什麼敵人需要她在這裏集結海軍和陸軍嗎？不，先生們，她沒有敵人。他們是針對我們的，他們不可能是針對別人的。他們是被派來給我們綁住和釘上英國內閣長期以來一直在鑄造的鎖鏈。我們有什麼可以用來反對他們呢？沒有。我們已經想盡辦法弄清楚這個問題，但都沒用。難道我們要向他們搖尾乞憐，卑躬屈膝嗎？那我們應當找什麼沒有被用盡的條件？先生們，我要求你們，不要再欺騙自己了。先生們，為了避免這即將來臨的風暴，我們已經做了一切能做的事。我們已經請願過了，我們已經抗議過了，我們已經哀求過了，我們已經俯伏在內閣和議會暴虐之手面前。可我們的請願已被藐視，我們的抗議已增添了對我們的暴力和侮辱，我們的哀求人家不予考慮，人家已經輕蔑地把我們從君王的腳下趕走。在這些都白費之後，我們難道還會沈浸在和平和調和的可笑希望之中。再也沒有希望的餘地了。如果我們想得到自由，如果我們要保護那些我們長期爭取的無價的特權不受侵犯，如果我們不想怯懦地放棄我們長期從事的崇高鬥爭，如果我們不想放棄我們已發誓不達到我們的鬥爭應當取得光榮目標就決不罷休的崇高鬥爭，我們就必須戰鬥！先生們，我再說一遍，我們必須戰鬥！我們現在唯一能做的就是拿起武器，祈求上帝的幫助！

先生們，他們告訴我們，我們是弱者，無法與這強大的敵手對抗。但我們何時才能強大呢？下個星期嗎？還是下一年？要到我們完全被解除武裝，每個房子都駐上一個英國衛兵的時候嗎？我們優柔寡斷，坐著不動就不可以聚集力量嗎？我們無精打 采地仰臥在那裏，抱著虛妄的希望直到敵人把我們的手腳都捆起來，這樣就可以獲得有效的抵抗手段嗎？先生們，如果我們適當利用上帝在我們的力量中所賦予的各種手段，我 們就不是弱者。三百萬人民為了自由神聖事業武裝起來，在這樣一個我們擁有的國家裏，是無敵於我們敵人能派來對付我們的任何力量的。而且，先生們，我們將不會孤軍作戰。還有一個主宰各國命運的公正的上帝，他將召集朋友們為我們作戰。先生們，打戰不只適合於強者，有警惕性的人，有活力的人，有勇氣的人都會打戰。而且，先生們，我們沒有選擇。如果我們曾自私地 期望這場鬥爭，那麼現在要退出來已經太遲了。除了屈服和奴役沒有別的退路！給我們的鎖鏈已經鑄好了！在波士頓平原上就可聽到這些鎖鏈的叮噹聲！戰爭是不可避免的，就讓它來吧！我再說一遍，先生們，讓它來吧！

先生們，辯解是沒有用的。先生們盡可呼喊和平，和平，但事實上不存在和平。戰爭實際上已經開始了！北方吹來的下一陣大風將給我們的耳朵帶來響亮的武器撞擊聲！我們的弟兄已經上了戰場！為什麼我們還站在這裏不動？那些先生們到底想要什麼？他們會得到什麼？生命就這麼貴，和平就這麼甜，以致可以用鎖鏈和奴役為代價把它們買來嗎？萬能的上帝，禁止這種事情發生吧！我不知道別人會怎麼做，但是，對於我來說，不自由，毋寧死！

Speech to the second Virginia Convention

   ..It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who. having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it.

    I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try" argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!

    They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of the means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The

war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!

    It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace, peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the North will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!