Remonstrance of the Inhabitants of the Town of Flushing to Governor Stuyvesant, December 27, 1657, is a petition signed by 31 men, in response to the governor’s actions against Quakers. In 1657, 31 settlers in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (now New York and New Jersey) risked arrest and banishment when they came to the defense of members of the Society of Friends—known as Quakers—who had been banned from the colony. Afraid this new group would destabilize the colony, Stuyvesant ordered Quaker preachers to be expelled and fined any colonists who welcomed them into their homes. In December 1657, 31 residents of the village of Flushing signed a petition against Stuyvesant’s ban on Quakers. ‘‘If any of these said persons [Quakers] come in love unto us, we cannot in conscience lay violent hands upon them,” the petitioners wrote, justifying their appeal to overturn the law. Stuyvesant denounced the petition as a “detestable letter of defiance.” Known today as the Flushing Remonstrance, this petition is one of New York State’s most cherished documents, and is considered a landmark of New York’s heritage of civil and religious rights. It had no immediate impact at the time, beyond getting four of its signers jailed.
《法拉盛镇居民向史岱文森(Stuyvesant)总督陈情书》是1657年12月27日由31名男子回应总督反对桂格派(Quakers)的行动而签署的请愿书。1657年,在荷兰殖民地新荷兰(现为纽约和新泽西)的31名定居者冒着遭到逮捕和驱逐的危险而捍卫被禁止进入该地区的友人协会成员-称为贵格会(Quakers)。史岱文森害怕这个新的团体会破坏殖民地的稳定,而下令驱逐贵格传教士,并对任何欢迎他们进入自己家园的殖民者处以罚款。1657年12月,法拉盛(Flushing)村的31名居民签署了一份请愿书,反对史岱文森(Stuyvesant)禁止贵格会。陈情者写道:“‘如果这些提到的人(Quakers教徒)中的任何一个将爱带入我们之间,我们出于良心就不会向他们施加暴力之手。”史岱文森(Stuyvesant)将该请愿书谴责为“可憎的反抗信”。今天,该请愿书被称为“法拉盛抗议书”,是纽约州最珍贵的文件之一,被认为是纽约公民权利和宗教权利传统的里程碑。当时除了导致四个签署者入狱,它没有立即产生影响。
《法拉盛陈情书》原文:
Right Honorable
You have been pleased to send unto us a certain prohibition or command that we should not receive or entertain any of those people called Quakers because they are supposed to be, by some, seducers of the people. For our part we cannot condemn them in this case, neither can we stretch out our hands against them, for out of Christ God is a consuming fire, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(我们收到了您下达的有关禁止接纳款待贵格教徒的命令, 其理由是有人称之为蛊惑人心的骗子。 然而, 就我们的立场而言, 我们绝不谴责教徒, 而不能有份于任何迫害之事。 因为出于神基督的, 是烈火, 而落入活神之手被裁判, 是可畏的)。
Wee desire therefore in this case not to judge least we be judged (不论断人,以免被他人论断), neither to condemn least we be condemned(不谴责,以免被他人谴责), but rather let every man stand or fall to his own Master (他或站住,或跌倒,自有他的主人在),. Wee are bounde by the law to do good unto all men, especially to those of the household of faith (我们受法律约束要对所有人都行善,特别是那些有信仰的家庭). And though for the present we seem to be unsensible for the law and the Law giver, yet when death and the Law assault us, if wee have our advocate to seeke, who shall plead for us in this case of conscience betwixt God and our own souls; the powers of this world can neither attach us, neither excuse us, for if God justifye who can condemn and if God condemn there is none can justifye.
And for those jealousies and suspicions which some have of them, that they are destructive unto Magistracy and Ministery, that cannot bee, for the Magistrate hath his sword in his hand and the Minister hath the sword in his hand, as witnesse those two great examples, which all Magistrates and Ministers are to follow, Moses and Christ, whom God raised up maintained and defended against all enemies both of flesh and spirit; and therefore that of God will stand, and that which is of man will come to nothing. And as the Lord hath taught Moses or the civil power to give an outward liberty in the state, by the law written in his heart designed for the good of all, and can truly judge who is good, who is evil, who is true and who is false, and can pass definitive sentence of life or death against that man which arises up against the fundamental law of the States General; soe he hath made his ministers a savor of life unto life and a savor of death unto death.
The law of love, peace and liberty in the states extending to Jews, Turks and Egyptians(属地的爱, 和平与自由的法则延伸到犹太人, 土耳其人和埃及人), as they are considered sons of Adam(因为他们被认为是亚当的后人)which is the glory of the outward state of Holland(这是荷兰外邦的荣耀), soe love, peace and liberty, extending to all in Christ Jesus, condemns hatred, war and bondage(以耶稣的名义延伸到所有人的爱, 和平和自由的法则谴责仇恨, 战争和束缚). And because our Saviour sayeth it is impossible but that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they cometh, our desire is not to offend one of his little ones, in whatsoever form, name or title hee appears in, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist or Quaker(不管是长老,独立,浸信会还是贵格会的教友), but shall be glad to see anything of God in any of them, desiring to doe unto all men as we desire all men should doe unto us, which is the true law both of Church and State; for our Saviour sayeth this is the law and the prophets.
Therefore if any of these said persons come in love unto us, we cannot in conscience lay violent hands upon them(如果这些提到的人中的任何一个将爱带入我们之间,我们出于良心就不会向他们施加暴力之手), but give them free egresse and regresse unto our Town, and houses, as God shall persuade our consciences, for we are bounde by the law of God and man to doe good unto all men and evil to noe man. And this is according to the patent and charter of our Towne(这符合我们镇的专利和章程精神),given unto us in the name of the States General(荷兰国会), which we are not willing to infringe, and violate(我们不愿意侵犯和违反), but shall houlde to our patent and shall remaine, your humble subjects(卑微的属民), the inhabitants of Vlishing.
Written this 27th of December in the year 1657, by mee.
Edward Hart, Clericus
DOCUMENT BASED QUESTIONS
1.Who is the petition written to? Who is the petition from? 陈情书写给谁, 来自谁?
2.What are the two arguments laid out in the first paragraph? 第一段两个主要论点是什么?
3.The last paragraph states, ‘‘Therefore if any of these said persons come in love unto us.” Who are the different groups mentioned in the body of the petition? What does that tell us about the inhabitants of New Amsterdam? 陈情书中提到了哪些不同的群体(groups)。 从这我们可以得知新阿姆斯特丹的居民怎么样?
4.Why do you think it is still referenced and revered over three centuries later? 你觉得为什么三个世纪后这份陈情书仍然被提到而且备受敬仰?
U.S. Congress, 1st Amendment 美国宪法第一修正案
The 1st Amendment of the Constitution, Passed by Congress September 25, 1789, the first of the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights, mandating the freedom or religious, speech, and press. Almost a 150 years after the Flushing Remonstrance was written, the first amendment of the Constitution was passed by Congress in 1789 and ratified in 1791. 1789年9月25日由国会通过的《宪法》第一修正案,是组成《权利法案》的十项修正案中的第一项,规定了自由或宗教,言论和新闻自由。在《法拉盛抗议书》写成后大约150年,宪法的第一修正案于1789年由国会通过并于1791年获得批准。
Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 国会不得制定有关下列事项的法律:确立一种宗教或禁止信教自由:剥夺言论自由或出版自由:或剥夺人民和平集会及向政府要求伸冤的权利。
DOCUMENT BASED QUESTIONS
1.The first amendment covers topics related to freedom of expression. What are the methods listed? Why do you think these actions are banded together? What do they have in common? 第一修正案涉及了表达自由有关的主题。列出了哪些种类?你认为为什么会把这些绑在一起?他们有什么共同点?
2.How is freedom of religion similar to freedom of speech and assembly?宗教自由与言论自由和集会自由有何相似之处?
3.Why do you think this amendment was the first one to be adopted? 您认为为什么此修正案是第一个通过的修正案?
4.Why would the tenets expressed be so vital to the founding fathers? 为什么所表达的宗旨对开国元勋如此重要?
5.What similarities do you see between the Flushing Remonstrance and the first amendment? 您在《法拉盛抗议书》与第一修正案之间看到什么相似之处?