1、The Perpetuation（不朽） of Our Political Institutions,Lincoln is under the age of 29 when he delivered this speech in the January 27, 1838.,The impact of this speech is so great that it is almost the first text in all versions of “Lincoln anthology（選集）” .,Backgrounds,Founding fathers died one after ano

2、ther (Madison is finally died in the first generation of the founders, died in June 1836 ). The revolutionary memory became pale. People were beginning to replace calm judgment with violent emotions. Lynching （私刑） became an epidemic （傳染） all over the United States.,In order to inherit the “political

3、 building” left by the founders, he delivered this speech at the Springfield Young Mens Lyceum.,This speech, in terms of its essence can be said to be the new historical conditions with our young generations political task,Speech selections,在文中，林肯首先很堅決地認為就像在1776年我們的前輩們對獨立宣言的支持一樣，我們現在也應該誓死捍衛(wèi)我們的前輩們書寫并

4、留下的法律：As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor; let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father.

5、 隨后話鋒一轉，林肯也認為并不是所有的法律都是好的，有些冤案也確實是因為沒有法律條款的約束而造成的：When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise, for the redress of which, no legal provisions have been made. How then shall we perform it? At

6、 what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted)

7、 in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years.,Main points,Make law as the countrys political beliefs is a distinct theme of this speech. Loudly called for every American never to violate the law of the country. Despite of bad laws, if any, must