第一篇：尼克松辭職演講全文 譯文

尼克松辭職演講全文

晚上好：

這是第37次時，我曾向你從這個辦公室，在如此眾多的決定已形成的歷史，這個國家。每次我這樣做的與你討論一些問題，我認為受影響國家的利益。在所有的決定我已在我的公共生活中我一直努力做最好的國家。

經過長期和困難的時期，水，我認為這是我的責任堅持不懈-盡力完成任期您當選箱。在過去的幾天里，但是，很明顯對我來說，我不再有足夠強大的政治基礎在國會有理由繼續這一努力。只要有這樣一個基礎，我感到強烈，有必要看到憲政進程的結束;，不這樣做將是不忠誠的精神故意艱難的過程，以及不穩定的危險先例。但失蹤的基礎，現在我認為，憲法的目的已送達。有不再需要的過程是長期的。

我寧愿為了貫徹到最后無論個人痛苦它將參與，和我的家人一致要求我這樣做。但是，國家利益必須始終來到任何個人因素。

從討論中我曾與美國國會領導人和其他領導人，我得出結論認為，由于水的問題我可能沒有足夠的支持，國會，我將考慮必要的支持非常困難的決定和執行的職責，該辦公室在這樣的利益，國家將要求。

我從來就不是一個懶人。

卸任之前完成我的任期是可惡的每本能在我的身體。但是，作為主席，我必須把美國的利益第一。

美國需要一個全職的主席和一名專職國會，特別是在這個時候與我們所面臨的問題在國內和國外。

要繼續打擊通過未來幾個月的我個人的辯護將幾乎完全吸收的時間和精力都總統和國會在一個時期我們的整個重點應放在重大問題的和平和繁榮國外沒有通貨膨脹在家里。因此，我將辭去院長有效明天中午。

副總統福特將宣誓就任總統在這樣的時刻在此辦公。

我記得高希望美國同我們開始第二個任期，我感到非常悲傷，我將不會在這個辦公室的工作以自己的名義，以實現這些希望在未來兩年半的時間。但在移交方向政府副總統福特我知道，因為我告訴我的國家提名他為10個月該辦公室前，的領導人將在美國良好的手中。

通過這個辦公室的副總裁，我也這樣做了深刻的意義上的重的責任，將落在他的肩膀明天，因此，理解，耐心，合作，他將需要從所有美國人。正如他所承擔的責任，他將得到的幫助和支持我們所有的人。當我們展望未來，第一重要的是開始愈合的創傷，這個國家。把痛苦和部門最近的過去拋在身后，重新發現這些共同理想的核心力量和團結的偉大和作為一個自由人。

通過采取這一行動，我希望我會加速這一進程的開始愈合這是迫切需要在美國。我很遺憾深深任何傷害可能已經做的過程中發生的事件，導致了這一決定。

我想說的只是，如果我的一些判斷是錯誤的-有些是錯誤的-他們是在我認為在當時是最好的國家利益。

這些誰站在我在過去困難的幾個月內，我的家人，朋友，在許多其他國家在支持誰加入我的事業，因為他們認為這是正確的，我將永遠感謝您的支持。和那些還沒有覺得誰能夠給我你的支持，讓我說我離開，沒有怨恨誰對那些反對我，因為我們所有的人在最后的分析已涉及國家利益，但是我們的判斷可能會有所不同。

因此，讓我們現在都共同確認，共同的承諾和幫助我們的新總統成功，造福于所有的美國人。

我將離開這個辦公室與遺憾，我的任期內沒有完成，但感謝有幸擔任你們的總統在過去的5年半。

這些年來一直是重要的時間在歷史上我們國家和世界。他們已經實現的時候，我們都可以自豪的成就，代表著共同的努力，政府，國會和人民。但是，面對未來的挑戰也同樣巨大。和他們也將需要的支持和所作的努力，美國國會和人民的合作與新政府。

我們已經結束美國的時間最長的戰爭。但在工作確保持久和平的世界，未來的目標是更深遠和更加困難。我們必須完成的和平架構，因此，這將是說我們這一代人-我們這一代的美國人-人民所遭受的所有國家，不僅是我們結束一場戰爭，但是，我們阻止未來戰爭。

我們已上鎖的門，為四分之一個世紀為美國與中華人民共和國的中國。我們現在必須確保一個世界四分之一的人誰生活在中華人民共和國的中國將保持，而不是我們的敵人，但我們的朋友。

在中東，100萬人在阿拉伯國家，其中許多人認為我們的敵人近20年，現在期待我們作為他們的朋友。我們必須繼續加強這一友誼，使和平能夠收于去年在中東地區，使文明的搖籃不會成為嚴重。

連同蘇聯我們已經取得了重要突破，已經開始的過程中限制核武器。但是，我們必須設定為我們的目標，而不僅僅是限制，但減少并最終銷毀這些可怕的武器，使他們不能摧毀文明。和使核戰爭的威脅將不再懸在世界和Th

é人。我們已經翻開了新的與蘇聯。我們必須繼續發展和擴大，新的關系，因此，這兩個最強大的世界各國將共同生活在合作而不是對抗。

世界各地-在亞洲，非洲，拉丁美洲，中東-還有誰以百萬計的人生活在可怕的貧困，甚至餓死。我們必須保持我們的目標轉向遠離戰爭生產和擴大生產的和平，使世界各地人民在地球上終于可以期待，在其子女的時間，如果不是在我們自己的時間，以具有必需品的體面的生活。在這里，在美國，我們很幸運，我們大多數人的祝福不僅自由，而且生活的手段全面和好，和世界的標準，甚至豐富的生活。

我們必須對，但是，對一個目標不僅是更多和更好的工作，但充分的機會，每一個美國人，和我們的努力很難達到現在-繁榮沒有通貨膨脹。

超過四分之一世紀的公共生活中，我有共同的動蕩的歷史中這個晚上。我爭取什么，我相信以下我已盡力，盡我的能力，履行這些義務和履行這些責任是委托給我。有時候，我取得了成功。有時候我都失敗了。

但總是我的心從西奧多羅斯福曾說過的男子在舞臺上，他們面臨受到灰塵和汗水和鮮血，誰努力勇敢，誰是短期errs和一次又一次，因為沒有工作，沒有錯誤和缺點，但誰確實努力做

契據，誰知道偉大的熱情，偉大的奉獻，誰花自己的有價值的事業，誰知道在最佳，最終的勝利和高成就的最嚴重，如果他失敗了，至少不能同時大膽很大。

我向你保證今晚，只要我有一口氣生活中我的身體，我將繼續本著這一精神。我將繼續工作的偉大事業，我一直致力于我國各地來的眾議員，參議員，副總統和總統，和平的事業-不只是美國，但所有國家之間-繁榮，正義和機會，我們所有的人。

還有一個原因首先是我一直在專門和我將永遠是專門用于為只要我還活著。

當我第一次宣誓就職總統5年半前，我提出這一神圣的承諾：以奉獻我的辦公室，我的精力，所有的智慧我可以傳喚的事業，國家之間的和平。我做我的最好的，因為所有的日子里是真實的這一承諾。由于這些努力，我深信，世界是一個安全的地方今日，不僅是為了美國人民，而且對所有國家人民的，而且我們所有的孩子有更好的機會比以前生活在和平，而不是在戰爭中死去。

這，超過任何東西，就是我希望實現當我試圖院長。

這，超過任何東西，就是我希望將我的遺產給你，對我們的國家，正如我離開總統府。已擔任這一職務是覺得很個人的感覺與親屬的每一個美國人。

離開它，我這樣做，這個祈禱：愿上帝的恩典與你同在的所有未來的日子。

第二篇：辭職演講(尼克松

Resignation Speech

辭職演講（尼克松）

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office where so many decisions have been made that shape the history of this nation.Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matters that I believe affected the national interest.And all the decisions I have made in my public life I have always tried to do what was best for the nation.Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort.As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process, and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future.But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served.And there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged.I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so.But the interests of the nation must always come before any personal considerations.From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require.I have never been a quitter.To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body.But as President I must put the interests of America first.America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home.Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow.Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.注釋：

注釋：

Watergate水門事件agonyn.苦惱，極大的痛苦

Unanimously全體一致地,無異議地

Quittern.輕易停止的人, 懦夫

Vindicationn.辯護, 辯明, 擁護

中文對照

(晚上好！)這是我第37次在這里對你們講話。我曾在這里作過一些對我們這個國家有影響的決定。每次我都與你們討論一些有關影響國民利益之事。我所做出的這些決定，都

力圖為國家最高利益服務。

經過漫長而艱難的水門事件，我感覺到，我不得不辭職，盡力盡快結束我的總統工作。在過去幾年里，很明顯，我在國會已不再擁有強大的政治基礎。只要這種基礎還存在，我便會堅決澄清這件事。但現在再做努力已非必要，這樣只會使程序更加艱難，也是對繼任者的刁難。

由于已經失去政治基礎，我沒必要拖延這件事。

不管我個人的痛苦有多大，我也寧愿結束它，我家人也這樣黯然催促我。但是，國家利益總是要高于個人利益，通過我與國會及其他領導的商議，由于水門事件后，我已經失去了國會的支持，我不得不做出這個艱難的決定，市民也有這個要求，國家利益也要求我這么做。我從來就不是一個半途而廢的人。

在我到任之前便離任，我感到渾身的不自在。但作為總統應把國家利益放在首位。美國需要一位全心全意的總統和全心全意國會，特別是現在我們處于國內外的各種困難時期。

繼續幾個月前的個人辯護將占去總統和國會幾乎所有的時間，而這時我們應該做的卻是致力于世界和平及無通貨膨脹的國家繁榮。

因此，我決定明天中午正式辭去總統職務，副總統福特將同時在這里宣誓就職。

第三篇：尼克松的辭職演講

尼克松的辭職演講

Good evening:

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been

made that shape the history of this nation.Each time I have done so to discuss with you some

matter that I believe affected the national interest.In all the decisions I have made in my public life

I have always tried to do what was best for the nation.Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere to

make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.In the past few

days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in

the Congress to justify continuing that effort.As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it

was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion.That to do otherwise

would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process, and a dangerously

destabilizing precedent for the future.But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that

the constitutional purpose has been served.And there is no longer a need for the process to be

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prolonged.I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have

involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so.But the interests of the nation must

always come before any personal considerations.From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders I have concluded that

because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider

necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require.I have never been a quitter.To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every

instinct in my body.But as President, I must put the interests of America first.America needs a fulltime President and a fulltime Congress, particularly at this time with problems

we face at home and abroad.To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal

vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the

Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and

prosperity without inflation at home.Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon

tomorrow.Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.As I recall the high hopes for America with which we began this second term, I feel a great sadness

that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next two

and a half years.But in turning over direction of the Government to Vice President Ford I know, as

I told the nation when I nominated him for that office ten months ago, that the leadership of

America would be in good hands.In passing this office to the Vice President, I also do so with the profound sense of the weight of

responsibility that will fall on his shoulders tomorrow, and therefore of the understanding, the

patience, the cooperation he will need from all Americans.As he assumes that responsibility he will

deserve the help and the support of all of us.As we look to the future, the first essential is to begin

healing the wounds of this nation.To put the bitterness and divisions of the recent past behind us

and to rediscover those shared ideals that lie at the heart of our strength and unity as a great and as a free people.By taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of that process of healing which is so

desperately needed in America.I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course

of the events that led to this decision.I would say only that if some of my judgments were wrong

and some were wrong they were made in what I believed at the time to be the best interests of the nation.To those who have stood with me during these past difficult months, to my family, my friends, the

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many others who joined in supporting my cause because they believed it was right, I will be

eternally grateful for your support.And to those who have not felt able to give me your support, let

me say I leave with no bitterness toward those who have opposed me, because all of us in the final

analysis have been concerned with the good of the country, however our judgments might differ.So let us all now join together in affirming that common commitment and in helping our new

President succeed for the benefit of all Americans.I shall leave this office with regret at not

completing my term but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your President for the past

five and a half years.These years have been a momentous time in the history of our nation and the

world.They have been a time of achievement in which we can all be proud, achievements that

represent the shared efforts of the administration, the Congress and the people.But the challenges

ahead are equally great.And they, too, will require the support and the efforts of the Congress and

the people, working in cooperation with the new Administration.We have ended America's longest war.But in the work of securing a lasting peace in the world, the

goals ahead are even more far-reaching and more difficult.We must complete a structure of peace, so that it will be said of this generation—our generation of Americans—by the people of all nations，not only that we ended one war but that we prevented future wars.We have unlocked the doors that for a quarter of a century stood between the United States and the

People's Republic of China.We must now insure that the one-quarter of the world's people who live

in the People's Republic of China will be and remain, not our enemies, but our friends.In the Middle East, 100 million people in the Arab countries, many of whom have considered us

their enemy for nearly 20 years, now look on us as their friends.We must continue to build on that

friendship so that peace can settle at last over the Middle East and so that the cradle of civilization

will not become its grave.Together with the Soviet Union, we have made the crucial breakthroughs

that have begun the process of limiting nuclear arms.But, we must set as our goal, not just limiting，but reducing and finally destroying these terrible weapons, so that they cannot destroy civilization.And so that the threat of nuclear war will no longer hang over the world and the people.We have

opened a new relation with the Soviet Union.We must continue to develop and expand that new

relationship, so that the two strongest nations of the world will live together in cooperation rather than confrontation.Around the world in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, in the Middle East there are millions of

people who live in terrible poverty, even starvation.We must keep as our goal turning away from

production for war and expanding production for peace so that people everywhere on this earth can

at last look forward, in their children's time, if not in our own time, to having the necessities for a

decent life.Here, in America, we are fortunate that most of our people have not only the blessings

of liberty but also the means to live full and good, and by the world's standards even abundant lives.We must press on, however, toward a goal not only of more and better jobs but of full opportunity

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for every American, and of what we are striving so hard right now to achieve prosperity without inflation.For more than a quarter of a century in public life, I have shared in the turbulent history of this

evening.I have fought for what I believe in.I have tried, to the best of my ability, to discharge

those duties and meet those responsibilities that were entrusted to me.Sometimes I have succeeded.And sometimes I have failed.But always I have taken heart from what Theodore Roosevelt once

said about the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives

valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is not effort without error and

shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deed, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the

triumphs of high achievements and with the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.I pledge to you tonight that as long as I have a breath of life in my body, I shall continue in that

spirit.I shall continue to work for the great causes to which I have been dedicated throughout my

years as a Congressman, a Senator, Vice President and President, the cause of peace not just for

America but among all nations prosperity, justice and opportunity for all of our people.There is one cause above all to which I have been devoted and to which I shall always be devoted

for as long as I live.When I first took the oath of office as President five and a half years ago, I

made this sacred commitment: to consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can

summon to the cause of peace among nations.I've done my very best in all the days since to be true to that pledge.As a result of these efforts, I am confident that the world is a safer place today, not

only for the people of America but for the people of all nations, and that all of our children have a

better chance than before of living in peace rather than dying in war.This, more than anything, is what I hoped to achieve when I sought the Presidency.This, more than

anything, is what I hope will be my legacy to you, to our country, as I leave the Presidency.To have

served in this office is to have felt a very personal sense of kinship with each and every American.In leaving it, I do so with this prayer: May God's grace be with you in all the days ahead.

第四篇：尼克松辭職演講

里查德.尼克松總統辭職演講

Richard M.Nixon: Resignation Speech Good evening:

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shape the history of this nation.Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the national interest.In all the decisions I have made in my public life I have always tried to do what was best for the nation.Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere，to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort.As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion;that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process, and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future.But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served.And there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged.I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so.But the interests of the nation must always come before any personal considerations.From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require.I have never been a quitter.To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body.But as President, I must put the interests of America first.America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home.Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow.Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.As I recall the high hopes for America with which we began this second term, I feel a great sadness that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next two and a half years.But in turning over direction of the Government to Vice President Ford I know, as I told the nation when I nominated him for that office ten months ago, that the leadership of America would be in good hands.In passing this office to the Vice President, I also do so with the profound sense of the weight of responsibility that will fall on his shoulders tomorrow, and therefore of the understanding, the patience, the cooperation he will need from all Americans.As he assumes that responsibility he will deserve the help and the support of all of us.As we look to the future, the first essential is to begin healing the wounds of this nation.To put the bitterness and divisions of the recent past behind us and to rediscover those shared ideals that lie at the heart of our strength and unity as a great and as a free people.By taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in America.I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision.I would say only that if some of my judgments were wrong--and some were wrong--they were made in what I believed at the time to be the best interests of the nation.To those who have stood with me during these past difficult months, to my family, my friends, the many others who joined in supporting my cause because they believed it was right, I will be eternally grateful for your support.And to those who have not felt able to give me your support, let me say I leave with no bitterness toward those who have opposed me, because all of us in the final analysis have been concerned with the good of the country, however our judgments might differ.So let us all now join together in affirming that common commitment and in helping our new President succeed for the benefit of all Americans.I shall leave this office with regret at not completing my term but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your President for the past five and a half years.These years have been a momentous time in the history of our nation and the world.They have been a time of achievement in which we can all be proud, achievements that represent the shared efforts of the administration, the Congress and the people.But the challenges ahead are equally great.And they, too, will require the support and the efforts of the Congress and the people, working in cooperation with the new Administration.We have ended America's longest war.But in the work of securing a lasting peace in the world, the goals ahead are even more far-reaching and more difficult.We must complete a structure of peace, so that it will be said of this generation--our generation of Americans--by the people of all nations, not only that we ended one war but that we prevented future wars.We have unlocked the doors that for a quarter of a century stood between the United States and the People's Republic of China.We must now insure that the one-quarter of the world's people who live in the People's Republic of China will be and remain, not our enemies, but our friends.In the Middle East, 100 million people in the Arab countries, many of whom have considered us their enemy for nearly 20 years, now look on us as their friends.We must continue to build on that friendship so that peace can settle at last over the Middle East and so that the cradle of civilization will not become its grave.Together with the Soviet Union we have made the crucial breakthroughs that have begun the process of limiting nuclear arms.But, we must set as our goal, not just limiting, but reducing and finally destroying these terrible weapons, so that they cannot destroy civilization.And so that the threat of nuclear war will no longer hang over the world and the people.We have opened a new relation with the Soviet Union.We must continue to develop and expand that new relationship, so that the two strongest nations of the world will live together in cooperation rather than confrontation.Around the world--in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, in the Middle East--there are millions of people who live in terrible poverty, even starvation.We must keep as our goal turning away from production for war and expanding production for peace so that people everywhere on this earth can at last look forward, in their children's time, if not in our own time, to having the necessities for a decent life.Here, in America, we are fortunate that most of our people have not only the blessings of liberty but also the means to live full and good, and by the world's standards even abundant lives.We must press on, however, toward a goal not only of more and better jobs but of full opportunity for every American, and of what we are striving so hard right now to achieve--prosperity without inflation.For more than a quarter of a century in public life, I have shared in the turbulent history of this evening.I have fought for what I believe in.I have tried, to the best of my ability, to discharge those duties and meet those responsibilities that were entrusted to me.Sometimes I have succeeded.And sometimes I have failed.But always I have taken heart from what Theodore Roosevelt once said about the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is not effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deed, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievements and with the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.I pledge to you tonight that as long as I have a breath of life in my body, I shall continue in that spirit.I shall continue to work for the great causes to which I have been dedicated throughout my years as a Congressman, a Senator, Vice President and President, the cause of peace--not just for America but among all nations--prosperity, justice and opportunity for all of our people.There is one cause above all to which I have been devoted and to which I shall always be devoted for as long as I live.When I first took the oath of office as President five and a half years ago, I made this sacred commitment: to consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can summon to the cause of peace among nations.I've done my very best in all the days since to be true to that pledge.As a result of these efforts, I am confident that the world is a safer place today, not only for the people of America but for the people of all nations, and that all of our children have a better chance than before of living in peace rather than dying in war.This, more than anything, is what I hoped to achieve when I sought the Presidency.This, more than anything, is what I hope will be my legacy to you, to our country, as I leave the Presidency.To have served in this office is to have felt a very personal sense of kinship with each and every American.In leaving it, I do so with this prayer: May God's grace be with you in all the days ahead.

第五篇：尼克松辭職演講中文稿

尼克松辭職演講全文

晚上好。這是我第37次在白宮發表演講,正是在這里，產生了很多決定我們國家歷史的關鍵決策。每一次我這么做，都是為了與各位討論事關國家利益的重要問題。而我相信,在我政治生涯中所做出的任何決定都竭力于更好地服務國家。

在整個漫長而艱難的水門事件中，我一直把 “堅持” 作為自己的職責，我要盡全力走完人民賦予我的總統任期。

然而在過去的幾天中, 我發現在國會中已經得不到堅實的政治基礎來證明我的這種堅持的必要性。這個基礎如果存在，我堅持認為，通過憲法程序來獲得最終結果是非常必要的，否則就是對精心設計的憲法精神的背叛，并且開啟了一個對未來極有危害的造成不穩定的先例。

但是由于沒有了基礎，我認為，憲政的目標已經被實現，因此，沒有必要讓這個程序再繼續下去了。

我原本選擇不論將面對怎樣的個人痛苦都要繼續走下去, 而我的家庭也一致支持我這樣的選擇。然而國家的利益永遠高于個人的利益。通過我和國會以及其他領袖的討論, 我明白，因為水門事件,我可能不再會贏得國會的必要的支持,沒有這些支持，我無法繼續為國家履行自己的職責以及在困難時刻做出有利于國家的決定。

然而,我從來都不是一個半途而廢的人.在任期結束之前離開白宮，這完全違背我的本意。但作為總統, 我必須永遠把美國的利益置于首位。

美國需要一個全心全意的總統，和同樣全心全意的國會，尤其是在這樣一個當國內和國外都面臨著挑戰的關鍵時候。

如果繼續我的個人辯護將占去總統和國會未來幾個月幾乎所有的時間和注意力，而這時我們應該做的卻是致力于世界和平及沒有通貨膨脹的國家繁榮這樣一些重大問題。

因此,我愿意辭職, 并將于明天中午生效。副總統福特屆時將成為總統。當我回想起在我第二個任期之初對于美國所寄予的厚望時, 我很難過我不能繼續在未來的兩年半里,去實現我的這些愿望。

不過將政府權力交予副總統福特，正如10個月前我提名他時對大家所說的：美國的權力已交付給了值得信賴的人。

在將權力轉移給副總統的同時，從某種深層的含義上我也將明天要落在他肩頭的重大的責任移交給了他，因此他需要所有人的理解，耐心和合作。

當他承擔了這份責任，他也應受到所有人的幫助和支持。展望未來, 我們要走出的第一步就是要修復我們國家所經受的創傷，將最近的那些痛苦和分歧拋之腦后，重新發現我們的的共同理想，那些理想才是我們作為偉大的和自由的民族的力量和團結的核心。

通過我的辭職，我希望可以加速美國所急需的愈合的進程。

在這個進程中,我對任何因這個決策所可能產生的傷害感到最深切的遺憾。我會說, 即使我有時做出的決定和判斷是錯的——而一部分的確是錯的——也是我相信在當時它們是最有利于我們國家的決定.對于那些在過去艱難的幾個月中始終伴隨著我的人們，我的家人、朋友和那些因為相信我是正確的而支持我的人們，我將會永遠感激你們的支持。

而對于那些沒有給予我支持的人，我沒有因為你們的反對而怨恨你們，因為歸根結底，我們都關注國家的利益,只是我們的判斷有區別。

無論如何，現在就讓我們團結起來為共同的目標，和我們的新總統一起帶領美國取得勝利。

我雖然因為沒有完成任期而帶著遺憾離開總統的職位，但是更因為有幸作為總統服務了五年半而感到自豪和欣喜。這五年半對于我們的國家和世界都有著重要的意義。這些年我們有著讓我們引以為豪的在政府、國會和人民共同努力下的偉大成就。但是未來我們將面臨的挑戰也同樣巨大,也同樣需要人民、國會和政府的全力合作和努力。

五年半中，我們結束了美國最長的戰爭（越戰）。但是維持世界持久和平的未來目標甚至更加遙遠和崎嶇。因此,我們這代美國人要努力構建一個和平的世界秩序，這樣我們這一代人就會被全世界人們傳誦：因為我們不僅結束了一場戰爭，更防止了未來戰爭發生的可能。

五年半中，我們敲開了一扇隔離美中之間25余年的大門，我們必須確保占世界人口四分之一的中國人民是我們的朋友，而非我們的敵人。

在中東地區，有1億的人口生活在阿拉伯國家，而20年來其中的許多人都把美國視為他們的敵人，現在他們視我們為朋友。我們必須繼續建立與中東地區的友好關系，才能使和平降臨在中東地區，避免使文明的搖籃變為文明的墳墓。

另一方面，與前蘇聯合作中，我們在限制核武器進程上取得了重大突破。但是，我們必須明確我們的目標，對于核武器，不應單單是限制，更應是不斷削減直至最終完全取締這些恐怖的武器，這樣它們才不至于毀了人類文明。這樣全世界人類將不再生活在核戰爭威脅的陰影中。與此同時，我們與前蘇聯的外交也打開了新局面，我們必須繼續發展和開拓美蘇之間的關系，因而世界上兩個最強大的國家才能夠在合作而不是對抗中共存。

放眼世界,在亞洲、非洲、拉丁美洲、中東地區, 還有成千上萬的人們在貧困和饑餓中掙扎。我們必須用以和平為目的的生產取代以戰爭為目的的生產并加大生產力度，才能讓這個地球上的所有人對擁有體面生活的必需品充滿期待, 即使這只是在我們兒輩而不是我們自己身上實現。在這里,美國，我們應該感到幸運，因為我們不僅可以受到自由平等的沐浴，更有過著美好而充實的生活,甚至按照世界標準來說是富足的生活。

但是我們仍需繼續努力,向著這樣一個目標——不僅僅是為每個美國人提供更多更好的工作,而是要給每個人充分的機會，更要取得我們正在為之努力的目標——沒有通貨膨脹的繁榮。

在我二十多年的政治生涯中，今晚都將是一個重要的里程碑。

我為了自己的信仰奮戰，我盡了我最大的努力履行我的職責完成我的義務，這些都是你們賦予我的。有時我成功了，有時我也面臨著失敗，但是無論如何，我都一直謹記著西奧多羅斯福對戰場上武士的評價：這些武士的面孔都粘著血淚和泥土；他們都英勇地活著；一遍一遍遭遇坎坷和錯誤，因為沒有坎坷和錯誤就沒有努力；但是他們依然不畏失誤，盡力去實踐；他們懂得激情和付出，并把自己的生命奉獻于有意義的事業；因為他們知道，最好的結局最高的成就就是成功，即使面臨失敗這樣最糟糕的結局，也意味著他們有偉大的嘗試的勇氣。

今晚我向你們各位保證，只要我呼吸尚存，我就會繼續秉承這樣的信仰。我將會繼續為我的信仰奮斗,不論我是一個眾議員、參議員、副總統又或者總統，這個信仰一直未變，就是對于和平、繁榮、公正和機遇的愿景，這不僅是對于美國,更是對于全世界。在所有目標中，這個信仰是我矢志不渝投入的，并且我將會為之奉獻我的一生。

當我五年半前第一次作為總統就職宣誓的時候，我許下了這個莊嚴神圣的承諾：把我的任期、我的能量和我所有的智慧致力于和平事業。

對于這個承諾，我已經盡了我最大的努力。我自信，這些努力帶來的是一個不僅對于美國人民而且對于全世界來說都是一個更加和平的環境，可以讓更多孩子可以有更好的生活的條件而不是面臨著戰爭中的死亡。

這愿望超越了所有，是我在總統任期內最渴望達成的。這愿望超越了所有，是我最希望在我辭職之后給予你們的。

就任總統意味著跟每個美國人建立起親密的關系。而離開它,我有一個祈禱: 在未來的日子里，愿上帝的恩典與你同在。