On the Articles of Impeachment -- Barbara Charline Jordan
Delivered 25 July 1974 • House Judiciary Committee, Washington, D.C.
1974 年 7 月 25 日交付 • 众议院司法委员会，华盛顿特区
Mr. Chairman , I join my colleague Mr. Rangel in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry.
主席先生，我和我的同事兰格尔先生一起感谢您为本委员会的初级成员提供了分担这次调查的痛苦的光荣机会。
Mr. Chairman , you are a strong man , and it has not been easy but we have tried as best we can to give you as much assistance as possible.
主席先生，您是一个坚强的人，这并不容易，但我们已尽力为您提供尽可能多的帮助。
Earlier today , we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States : “ We , the people.
今天早些时候，我们听到了美国宪法序言的开头：“我们，人民。
” It ’ s a very eloquent beginning.
这是一个非常雄辩的开头。
But when that document was completed on the seventeenth of September in 1787 , I was not included in that “ We , the people.
但当该文件于 1787 年 9 月 17 日完成时，我并没有被包括在“我们，人民”之中。
” I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake .
“多年来，不知怎么的，我总觉得乔治·华盛顿和亚历山大·汉密尔顿错误地将我排除在外。
But through the process of amendment , interpretation , and court decision , I have finally been included in “ We , the people.
但经过修改、解释、法院判决的过程，我终于被纳入“我们人民”之中。
”
”
Today I am an inquisitor.
今天我是一名检察官。
An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now.
夸张不会是虚构的，也不会夸大我现在感受到的庄严。
My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total.
我对宪法充满信心；它已经完成了；这是全部。
And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution , the subversion , the destruction , of the Constitution.
我不会坐在这里，袖手旁观，目睹宪法遭到削弱、颠覆和破坏。
“ Who can so properly be the inquisitors for the nation as the representatives of the nation themselves?
“谁能像国家本身的代表一样成为国家的审判者呢？
” “ The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men.
” “其管辖范围是因公职人员不当行为而产生的犯罪行为。
” 1 And that ’ s what we ’ re talking about.
” 1 这就是我们正在讨论的。
In other words , [the jurisdiction comes] from the abuse or violation of some public trust.
换句话说，[管辖权来自]来自于滥用或违反某些公众信任。
It is wrong , I suggest , it is a misreading of the Constitution for any member here to assert that for a member to vote for an article of impeachment means that that member must be convinced that the President should be removed from office.
我认为，这里的任何议员断言，一名议员投票支持弹劾条款就意味着该议员必须确信总统应该被免职，这是错误的，这是对宪法的误读。
The Constitution doesn ’ t say that.
宪法没有这么说。
The powers relating to impeachment are an essential check in the hands of the body of the Legislature against and upon the encroachments of the Executive.
与弹劾有关的权力是立法机关手中对行政机关的侵犯的重要制衡。
The division between the two branches of the Legislature , the House and the Senate , assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge , the Framers of this Constitution were very astute.
这部宪法的制定者非常精明，它对立法机关众议院和参议院两个分支进行了划分，将指控权分配给了另一分支，将审判权分配给了另一分支。
They did not make the accusers and the judgers -- and the judges the same person.
他们并没有将原告和法官——以及法官——定为同一个人。
We know the nature of impeachment.
我们知道弹劾的性质。
We ’ ve been talking about it awhile now.
我们已经讨论了一段时间了。
It is chiefly designed for the President and his high ministers to somehow be called into account.
它主要是为了让总统和他的高级部长能够以某种方式被考虑在内。
It is designed to “ bridle ” the Executive if he engages in excesses.
它的目的是“束缚”行政部门的过度行为。
“ It is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men.
“它的目的是作为对公职人员行为进行全国调查的一种方法。
” 2 The Framers confided in the Congress the power if need be , to remove the President in order to strike a delicate balance between a President swollen with power and grown tyrannical , and preservation of the independence of the Executive.
2 制宪者向国会授予权力，如有需要，可以罢免总统，以便在权力膨胀、专制的总统与维护行政机关的独立性之间取得微妙的平衡。
The nature of impeachment: a narrowly channeled exception to the separation-of-powers maxim.
弹劾的本质：权力分立准则的狭隘例外。
The Federal Convention of 1787 said that.
1787年的联邦会议是这么说的。
It limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors and discounted and opposed the term “ maladministration.
它将弹劾仅限于重罪和轻罪，并贬低和反对“行政失当”一词。
” 3 “ It is to be used only for great misdemeanors , ” so it was said in the North Carolina ratification convention .
” 3 “它只能用于严重的轻罪，”北卡罗来纳州批准公约中如此说道。
4 And in the Virginia ratification convention : “ We do not trust our liberty to a particular branch.
4 在弗吉尼亚批准公约中：“我们不将我们的自由托付给某个特定部门。
We need one branch to check the other.
我们需要一个分支来检查另一个分支。
” 5
” 5
“ No one need be afraid ” -- the North Carolina ratification convention -- “ No one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity.
“没有人需要害怕”——北卡罗来纳州批准公约——“没有人需要担心实施压迫的官员会获得豁免权。
” 6 “ Prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community , ” said Hamilton in the Federalist Papers , number 65 .
” 6 “弹劾起诉很少会激起整个社会的热情，”汉密尔顿在《联邦党人文集》第 65 期中说道。
We “ divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused.
我们“分成对被告或多或少友好或敌对的政党。
” 7 I do not mean political parties in that sense.
7 我指的不是这个意义上的政党。
The drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment; but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term “ high crime[s] and misdemeanors.
政治路线的划分涉及弹劾背后的动机；但弹劾必须在宪法术语“重罪和轻罪”的范围内进行。
” 8 Of the impeachment process , it was Woodrow Wilson who said that “ Nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness.
” 8 在弹劾过程中，伍德罗·威尔逊 (Woodrow Wilson) 表示，“只要是违反国家普通法律的最严重的违法行为，就足以让弹劾程序迅速有效。
Indignation so great as to overgrow party interest may secure a conviction; but nothing else can.
义愤填膺以至于超出政党利益的程度可能会导致定罪；但没有什么可以。
” 9
” 9
Common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons.
如果我们出于微不足道的原因参与这一过程，常识就会受到反感。
Congress has a lot to do: Appropriations , Tax Reform , Health Insurance , Campaign Finance Reform , Housing , Environmental Protection , Energy Sufficiency , Mass Transportation.
国会有很多事情要做：拨款、税收改革、医疗保险、竞选财务改革、住房、环境保护、能源充足、公共交通。
Pettiness cannot be allowed to stand in the face of such overwhelming problems.
面对如此巨大的问题，不能允许狭隘的观点存在。
So today we are not being petty.
所以今天我们并不小气。
We are trying to be big , because the task we have before us is a big one.
我们正在努力做大，因为我们面前的任务很艰巨。
This morning , in a discussion of the evidence , we were told that the evidence which purports to support the allegations of misuse of the CIA by the President is thin.
今天早上，在对证据的讨论中，我们被告知，旨在支持总统滥用中央情报局指控的证据很少。
We ’ re told that that evidence is insufficient.
我们被告知证据不足。
What that recital of the evidence this morning did not include is what the President did know on June the 23rd , 1972.
今天早上的证据陈述没有包括总统在 1972 年 6 月 23 日所知道的内容。
The President did know that it was Republican money , that it was money from the Committee for the Re-Election of the President , which was found in the possession of one of the burglars arrested on June the 17th.
总统确实知道这是共和党的钱，是总统连任委员会的钱，这些钱是在 6 月 17 日被捕的一名窃贼身上发现的。
What the President did know on the 23rd of June was the prior activities of E.
总统在 6 月 23 日所知道的是 E. 之前的活动。
Howard Hunt , which included his participation in the break-in of Daniel Ellsberg ’ s psychiatrist , which included Howard Hunt ’ s participation in the Dita Beard ITT affair , which included Howard Hunt’s fabrication of cables designed to discredit the Kennedy Administration.
霍华德·亨特，其中包括他参与闯入丹尼尔·埃尔斯伯格的精神病医生，其中包括霍华德·亨特参与迪塔·比尔德 ITT 事件，其中包括霍华德·亨特制造旨在抹黑肯尼迪政府的电缆。
We were further cautioned today that perhaps these proceedings ought to be delayed because certainly there would be new evidence forthcoming from the President of the United States.
今天我们进一步被警告，也许这些程序应该推迟，因为美国总统肯定会提供新的证据。
There has not even been an obfuscated indication that this committee would receive any additional materials from the President.
甚至没有任何模糊的迹象表明该委员会将从总统那里收到任何其他材料。
The committee subpoena is outstanding , and if the President wants to supply that material , the committee sits here.
委员会的传票尚未完成，如果总统想要提供该材料，委员会就坐在这里。
The fact is that on yesterday , the American people waited with great anxiety for eight hours , not knowing whether their President would obey an order of the Supreme Court of the United States.
事实是，昨天，美国人民焦急地等待了八个小时，不知道他们的总统是否会遵守美国最高法院的命令。
At this point , I would like to juxtapose a few of the impeachment criteria with some of the actions the President has engaged in.
在这一点上，我想将一些弹劾标准与总统采取的一些行动并列起来。
Impeachment criteria: James Madison , from the Virginia ratification convention.
弹劾标准：来自弗吉尼亚州批准大会的詹姆斯·麦迪逊。
“ If the President be connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter him , he may be impeached.
“如果总统以任何可疑的方式与任何人有联系，并且有理由相信他会庇护他，他可能会被弹劾。
”
”
We have heard time and time again that the evidence reflects the payment to defendants money.
我们一次又一次听说证据反映了向被告支付的金钱。
The President had knowledge that these funds were being paid and these were funds collected for the 1972 presidential campaign.
总统知道这些资金正在支付，并且这些资金是为 1972 年总统竞选筹集的资金。
We know that the President met with Mr. Henry Petersen 27 times to discuss matters related to Watergate , and immediately thereafter met with the very persons who were implicated in the information Mr. Petersen was receiving.
我们知道，总统与亨利·彼得森先生会面了 27 次，讨论与水门事件有关的问题，并随后立即会见了与彼得森先生收到的信息有关的人士。
The words are: “ If the President is connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter that person , he may be impeached.
文字是：“如果总统以任何可疑的方式与任何人有联系，并且有理由相信他会庇护该人，他可能会被弹劾。
” 10
” 10
Justice Story : “ Impeachment ” is attended -- “ is intended for occasional and extraordinary cases where a superior power acting for the whole people is put into operation to protect their rights and rescue their liberties from violations.
正义故事：“弹劾”是针对偶尔和特殊的案件，运用代表全体人民的上级权力来保护他们的权利并拯救他们的自由免受侵犯。
” 11 We know about the Huston plan .
” 11 我们知道休斯顿计划。
We know about the break-in of the psychiatrist ’ s office.
我们知道精神病医生办公室被闯入的事件。
We know that there was absolute complete direction on September 3rd when the President indicated that a surreptitious entry had been made in Dr. Fielding ’ s office , after having met with Mr. Ehrlichman and Mr. Young .
我们知道，9 月 3 日，当总统表示在与埃利希曼先生和杨先生会面后，有人秘密进入菲尔丁博士的办公室时，有绝对完整的指示。
“ Protect their rights.
“保护他们的权利。
” “ Rescue their liberties from violation.
” “拯救他们的自由免遭侵犯。
” 12
” 12
The Carolina ratification convention impeachment criteria: those are impeachable “ who behave amiss , or betray their public trust.
卡罗莱纳州批准公约弹劾标准：“行为不当或背叛公众信任的人是可弹劾的”。
” 13 Beginning shortly after the Watergate break-in and continuing to the present time , the President has engaged in a series of public statements and actions designed to thwart the lawful investigation by government prosecutors.
13 从水门事件发生后不久开始一直持续至今，总统发表了一系列公开声明和行动，旨在阻挠政府检察官的合法调查。
Moreover , the President has made public announcements and assertions bearing on the Watergate case , which the evidence will show he knew to be false.
此外，总统已经就水门事件发表了公开声明和断言，证据将表明他知道这些声明和断言是错误的。
These assertions , false assertions , impeachable , those who misbehave.
这些断言，虚假断言，可弹劾，行为不端者。
“ Those who behave amiss or betray the public trust.
“那些行为不当或背叛公众信任的人。
”
”
James Madison again at the Constitutional Convention: “ A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.
詹姆斯·麦迪逊在制宪会议上再次表示：“如果总统试图颠覆宪法，他就可以被弹劾。
” 14 The Constitution charges the President with the task of taking care that the laws be faithfully executed , and yet the President has counseled his aides to commit perjury , willfully disregard the secrecy of grand jury proceedings , conceal surreptitious entry , attempt to compromise a federal judge , while publicly displaying his cooperation with the processes of criminal justice.
14 宪法赋予总统忠实执行法律的任务，但总统却怂恿他的助手作伪证、故意无视大陪审团程序的保密性、隐瞒秘密进入、试图妥协联邦法官，同时公开表现出他对刑事司法程序的合作。
“ A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.
“如果总统试图颠覆宪法，他就会被弹劾。
” 15
” 15
If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here , then perhaps that 18th-century Constitution should be abandoned to a 20th-century paper shredder!
如果美国宪法中的弹劾条款达不到这里指控的罪名，那么也许那部18世纪的宪法就该被扔进20世纪的碎纸机里了！
16
16
Has the President committed offenses , and planned , and directed , and acquiesced in a course of conduct which the Constitution will not tolerate?
总统是否犯下了宪法所不能容忍的罪行、策划、指挥和默许的行为？
That ’ s the question.
这就是问题所在。
We know that.
我们知道这一点。
We know the question.
我们知道这个问题。
We should now forthwith proceed to answer the question.
我们现在应该立即开始回答这个问题。
It is reason , and not passion , which must guide our deliberations , guide our debate , and guide our decision.
指导我们的审议、辩论和决定的必须是理性，而不是激情。
I yield back the balance of my time , Mr. Chairman.
主席先生，我把剩余的时间还给你。