美国学生历史 第170期:关于堪萨斯的纷争(7)

 But the fraudulent slave-state legislature had already provided for holding a constitutional convention at Lecompton. 但是，诡诈的主张奴隶制的立法机关已经规定在利康顿召开一次制宪会议，

This convention was controlled by the slave-state men and adopted a constitution providing for slavery. 这次会议由主张奴隶制的人控制，并通过了为奴隶制制定的章程。

President Buchanan sent this constitution to Congress and asked to have Kansas admitted as a slave state. 总统布坎南将这个章程交给国会并要求接受堪萨斯为一个有奴隶的州，

But Douglas could not bear to see the wishes of the settlers of Kansas outraged¹. 但是，道格拉斯不能忍受堪萨斯殖民地居民的愿望受到侵犯，

He opposed the proposition vigorously and it was defeated. 他强烈反对这个章程，结果，这个章程被否决，

It was not until 1861 that Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state. 直到1861年堪萨斯才被联邦接受为一个自由民州。

360. John Brown's Raid, 1859. 360．约翰·布朗的突然袭击（1859年）

While in Kansas John Brown had conceived a bold plan. 约翰·布朗在堪萨斯期间想起一个大胆的计划，

It was to seize a strong place in the mountains of the South, and there protect any slaves who should run away from their masters. 那就是夺取南部山脉中的一处要地，在那里保护那些从其主人那里逃跑出来的奴隶。

In this way he expected to break slavery in pieces within two years. 他希望通过这样的努力在两年内粉碎奴隶制。

With only nineteen men he seized Harper's Ferry, in Virginia, and secured the United States arsenal² at that place. 约翰·布朗带着19个人夺取了弗吉尼亚的哈珀渡口，并获得美国在这个地方的一个兵工厂，

But he and most of his men were immediately captured. 但是，他和他的大多数手下很快就被抓获。

He was executed by the Virginian authorities as a traitor³ and murderer. 他被弗吉尼亚当局作为叛国者和杀人犯处以死刑，

The Republican leaders denounced his act as "the gravest of crimes." 共和党的领导人称他的行为是"最严重的犯罪"。

But the Southern leaders were convinced that now the time had come to secede⁴ from the Union and to establish a Southern Confederacy. 但是，南方的领导者由此相信，已经到了从联邦中正式退出并建立一个"南方联邦"的时候。

1 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

2 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

3 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

4 secede   

v.退出，脱离

参考例句：

• They plotted to make the whole Mississippi Valley secede from the United States.他们阴谋策划使整个密西西比流域脱离美国。
• We won't allow Tibet to secede from China and become an independent nation.我们决不允许西藏脱离中国独立。