美国学生历史 第65期:制定宪法(5)

 　　186. Franklin's Prophecy. 186．富兰克林的预言

　　It was with a feeling of real relief that the delegates finally came to the end of their labors¹. 代表们带着真正的解脱感完成了他们的工作，

　　As they were putting their names to the Constitution, Franklin pointed² to a rising sun that was painted on the wall behind the presiding officer's chair. 当代表们在《宪法》上签字时，富兰克林用手指向主持会议官员椅子背后墙上一幅画中的太阳，

　　He said that painters often found it difficult to show the difference between a rising sun and a setting sun. 他说，画家常常发现难于表达旭日与落日之别：

　　"I have often and often," said the old statesman, "looked at that behind the President, without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; "我过去常常看总统背后的这个太阳，不知道它是在升起还是要落下去，

　　but now, at length, I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun." And so indeed it has proved to be. 但是很高兴我现在终于知道它是一轮旭日，而不是落日。"果真如此，已经证明它的确是一轮旭日。

　　187. The Constitution. 187．《宪法》

　　It will be well now to note some of the points in which the new Constitution was unlike the old Articles of Confederation. 现在可以说明新宪法与旧的联邦宪章的几点不同之处。

　　In the first place, the government of the Confederation had to do only with the states; the new government would deal directly with individuals. 首先，联邦宪章下的政府只能与各个州打交道，而新宪法下的政府则直接与个人相关，

　　For instance, when the old Congress needed money, it called on the states to give it. 例如，当旧的国会需要钱时，它向各个州索取，

　　If a state refused to give any money, Congress could remonstrate-and that was all. 如果某个州拒绝拿出钱，国会所做的只能是抗议，

　　The new government could order individuals to pay taxes. 而新政府可以命令个人交税，

　　Any one who refused to pay his tax would be tried in a United States court and compelled to pay or go to prison. 任何不交税的个人都要在美国法院接受审讯并被迫使交税，如果不交就会被送进监狱。

　　In the second place the old government had almost no executive powers. 第二点，旧政府几乎没有行政权，

　　The new government would have a very strong executive in the person of the President of the United States. 新政府的总统有非常强的行政权。

1 labors   

v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
• Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句

2 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。