Why wasn’t the Bill of Rights originally in the US Constitution? - James Coll

譯者: Crystal Yip 審譯者: Max Chern

Take a moment to think about the US Constitution.

想一想美國憲法

What's the first thing that comes to mind?

首先想到的是甚麼？

Freedom of speech?

言論自由？

Protection from illegal searches?

保護人民免受非法搜查？

The right to keep and bear arms?

合法管有槍械的權利？

These passages are cited so often

這些章節經常被引用

that we can hardly imagine the document without them,

我們難以想像缺少這部份的美國憲法

but that's exactly what the writers of the Constitution did.

但那正是編寫憲法的人所做的

The list of individual freedoms known as the Bill of Rights

列出種種個人自由的《權利法案》

was not in the original text

並不在最初的憲法內

and wasn't added for another three years.

往後三年也沒有加進去

So does this mean the founders didn't consider them?

難道憲法發起人沒有考慮過嗎？

The answer goes back to the very origins of the Constitution itself.

答案在於美國憲法的由來

Even prior to the first shots of the American Revolution,

在美國革命初發槍聲更早以前

the Thirteen Colonies worked together through a provisional government

13 個殖民地區合作組成臨時政府

called the Continental Congress.

名為「大陸議會」

During the war in 1781,

1781 年，戰爭期間

the Articles of Confederation were ratified

《邦聯條例》簽署生效

as the first truly national government.

成立第一個國家中央政府

But establishing a new nation would prove easier than running it.

但守業比創業難

Congress had no power to make the states comply with their laws.

議會無權促使州政府 遵從中央政府的律法

When the national government proved unable to raise funds,

中央政府未能徵得收入

enforce foreign treaties,

執行外交條約

or suppress rebellions,

或平息動亂

it was clear reform was needed.

可見，制度需要改革

So in May 1787, all the states but Rhode Island

因此在 1787 年 5 月， 所有州政府（除了羅德島州）

sent delegates to Philidelphia for a constitutional convention.

派員到費城參與「美國制憲會議」

A majority of these delegates favored introducing a new national constitution

大多數與會者同意起草新憲法

to create a stronger federal government.

創立更穩固的聯邦政府

Thanks to compromises on issues like state representation,

他們在各種議題上妥協， 例如州代表制

taxation power,

徵稅權

and how to elect the president,

總統選舉制度

their proposal gradually gained support.

因而草案漸獲支持

But the final text drafted in September

於 9 月草擬的最終稿

still had to be approved by conventions held in the states.

仍須在各州會議通過

So over the next few months,

所以接續數月

ratification would be debated across the young nation.

這年輕國家內部 就通過憲法與否爭論不休

Among those who championed the new document

擁護新憲法的人之中

were leading statesmen Alexander Hamilton,

有三位政治家： 亞歷山大·漢密爾頓

James Madison,

詹姆斯·麥迪遜

and John Jay.

和約翰·傑伊

Together, they laid out eloquent philosophical arguments

他們提出情理兼備的哲學論證

for their positions in a series of 85 essays

發表一系列共 85 篇的論文

now known as the Federalist Papers.

現稱為《聯邦主義議文集》

But others felt the Constitution was overreaching

但有些人覺得憲法權力過大

and that more centralized authority

政體趨向中央集權

would return the states to the sort of tyranny they had just escaped.

各州會重陷於剛擺脫的獨裁制度

These Anti-Federalists were especially worried

反聯邦政府的人特別擔心

by the text's apparent lack of protections for individual liberties.

憲法未有明文保護個人自由

As the conventions proceeded,

各個會議持續進行

many of these critics shifted from opposing the Constitution entirely

很多批評者由完全反對整部憲法

to insisting on adding an explicit declaration of rights.

轉為堅持加入一份宣言， 明確保障各種權利

So what was the Federalists problem with this idea?

但支持政府的聯邦黨人 為何不同意呢？

While their opponents accused them of despotism,

雖然反對者指控聯邦黨人獨裁

wanting to maintain absolute power in the central government,

意圖讓中央政府擁有絕對權力

their real motives were mostly practical.

但聯邦黨人的真正目的卻很實際

Changing the constitution when it had already been ratified by some states

當時數州已通過憲法， 修改會令整個過程更複雜

could complicate the entire process.

More importantly, Madison felt that people's rights were already guaranteed

更重要的是，麥迪遜認為 民主過程已保證了人權

through the democratic process,

while adding extra provisions risked misinterpretation.

另添規定可能會引起錯誤解讀

And some feared that creating an explicit list of things the government can't do

一些人擔心 明確列出政府不能做的事

would imply that it can do everything else.

會意味它能做 一切明文規定以外的事

After the first five states ratified the Constitution quickly,

首五個州迅速通過這部憲法後

the debate grew more intense.

爭論更激烈

Massachusetts and several other states

麻省和其他數州

would only ratify if they could propose their own amendments for consideration.

要求能各自提出修正案為條件， 否則不肯通過憲法

Leading Federalists recognized the need to compromise

領導的聯邦黨人認識到需要妥協

and promised to give them due regard.

承諾會妥善考慮

Once ratification by nine states finally brought the Constitution into legal force,

九個州終於通過憲法 讓它具有法律效力

they made good on their promise.

他們亦遵守承諾

During a meeting of the first United States Congress,

在美國國會首次會議上

representative James Madison

代表詹姆斯·麥迪遜

stood on the House floor to propose the very amendments

於眾議院提出他先前認為不需要的修訂

he had previously believed to be unnecessary.

After much debate and revision,

經過多番爭論和修改

first in the Congress,

先在國會

and then in the states,

後在各州

ten amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791,

於 1791 年 12 月 15 日通過十項修訂

over three years after the US Constitution had become law.

即美國憲法生效三年多後

Today, every sentence, word, and punctuation mark in the Bill of RIghts

時至今日，《權利法案》的字字句句

is still considered fundamental to the freedoms Americans enjoy,

仍被視為美國人享有各種自由的基石

even though the original framers left them out.

即使最初制憲者並無將其納入

翻譯：Crystal Yip