Acceptance of Nomination

(Adlai Stevenson)
Jul. 26, 1952.
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the convention, my fellow citizens, I accept your nomination and your program. I should have preferred to hear those words uttered by a stronger, a wiser a better man than myself, but after listening to the President's speech, I even feel better about myself none of you, my friends, can wholly appreciate what is in my heart. I can only hope that you understand my words, they will be few I have not sought the honor you have done me. I could not seek it because I aspire to another office, which was the full measure of my ambition, and one does not treat the highest office within the gifts of the people of Illinois as an alternative or as a consolation prize. I would not seek your nomination for the Presidency because the burdens of that office stagger the imagination. It's potential for good or evil, now and in the years of our lives, smothers exaltations and converts vanity to prayer.
I've asked the merciful Father, the Father of us all, to let this cup pass on me, but from such dread responsibility one does not shrink in fear, in self interest, or in false humility. So if this cup may not pass from me, I accept, I drink it, I will be done. That my heart has been troubled, that I have not sought this nomination, that I could not seek it in good conscience, that I would not seek it in honest self appraisal, is not to say that I value it the less. Rather it is that I revered the office of the Presidency of the United States. And now my friends that you have made your decision, I will fight to win that office with all my heart and my soul. And with your help, I have no doubt that we will win.
Sacrifice, patience, understanding and implacable purpose may be our lot for years to come. Let's face it, let's talk sense to the American people, let's tell them the truth that there are no gains without pains, that we are now on the eve of great decisions, not easy decisions, like resistance when you are attacked, but a long, patient, costly struggle which alone can assure triumph over the great enemies of man: war, poverty and tyranny and the assaults upon human dignity which are the most previous consequence of each. Let’s tell them that the victory to be won in the twentieth century this portal to the golden age, mocks the pretensions of individuals, of human ingenuity for it is the citadel guarded by thick walls of ignorance and of mistrust which do not fall before the trumpet's blasts, or the politicians' implications, or even the general's batons. Where we have deserted it, we have failed. With your help, there will be no desertion now. Better we lose the election than mislead the people, and better we lose than misgovern the people. Help me to do the job in this autumn of conflict and of campaign, help me to do the job in these years of darkness engulfed in crisis which stretched beyond the horizon of tonight's happy vision, and we will justify our glorious past and the loyalty of silent millions who look to us for compassion, for understanding, and for honest purpose. Thus we will serve our great tradition greatly I ask of you all you have. I will give you all I have.
Even as he who came here tonight and honored me, as he has honored you, the Democratic party by a lifetime of service and bravery that will find him an imperishable page in the history of the Republic and of the Democratic Party President Harry S. Truman. And finally my friends in this staggering task that you have assigned me, I should always try to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with my God.

utter adj.全然的, 绝对的 vt.发出, 做声, 发表, 发射, 流通
aspire vi.热望, 立志
burden n.担子, 负担 v.负担
smother v.窒息
exaltation n.提升, 提高, 兴奋, 得意洋洋
merciful adj.仁慈的, 慈悲的
appraisal n.评价, 估价(尤指估价财产,以便征税), 鉴定
tyranny n.暴政, 苛政, 专治
ingenuity n.机灵, 独创性, 精巧, 灵活性
citadel n.根据地, 大本营
baton n.司令棒, 指挥棒, 警棍
deserted adj.荒芜的, 荒废的, 为人所弃的
engulf vt.卷入, 吞没, 狼吞虎咽
glorious adj.光荣的, 显赫的
imperishable adj.不灭的, 不朽的
mercy n.仁慈, 宽恕, 怜悯
humbly adv.谦恭地

接受提名
（阿德莱•安蒂文森）
1952,7,26
总统先生、与会的女士们、先生们、同胞们：
我接受你们的提名和方案。我本以为这番话会由一个比我更强、更富有智慧、更恰当的人说出，但是听了总统的发言后，我的自我感觉好了许多。朋友们：虽然你们中无人能完全了解此时我心中所想，但希望你们能理解我简短的发言。我并没有想到你们会给我这样的荣誉。我本不会寻求提名，因为我已志在另一个部门，作为依利诺斯州的最高长官并不是一项无奈的选择，也不是给我的一个安慰奖，在那里，我的雄心壮志得到充分地施展。我本不愿意寻求总统提名，因为那个职位的压力超出想象。在现在和我们过去的生活中，它都是一柄双刃剑，它能使人由空虚变得有信仰，也会使人越来越窒息。
我曾经祈求仁慈的上帝，我们每一个人的上帝，让这杯酒在我面前不要停留，但如此的重担却让人无法因恐惧、自私或虚伪而退缩。所以，如果圣杯停在我的面前，我就接受它、喝下它、我将完成我的使命。我的心曾充满苦恼，我在寻求提名过程中并不主动，也没有全力以赴，更没有给自己一个正确的评价，但这并不说明我低估了提名的价值。相反，这说明我对美国总统一职的尊敬。现在，朋友们，你们已经做出决定，我将全心全意地去斗争、去赢得胜利。相信有你们的支持，我们必将取得胜利。
接下来的几年，我们需要牺牲、耐心、理解和不达目的誓不罢休的决心。让我们正视它，让我们理智地面对美国人民，让我们告诉他们“一分耕耘，一分收获”的真理。我们正面临一个重大的抉择，一个困难的抉择，它不像受到攻击就反抗那么简单，而是一场持久的、需要耐心的、高昂代价的战斗，要确保能战胜我们强大的敌人：战争、贫穷和暴政，它们带给人类最令人忧伤的结果就是对人类尊严的践踏。让我们告诉他们二十世纪将要取得的胜利，通往黄金时代的入口，对自我、对人类独创性的伪造都被挫败时的景象，因为现在这份景象正被无知与怀疑包围，即便是巨大的声浪、政治家的指示、将军的指挥棒都不能使它摧毁。如果放弃这片大本营，我们就是失败。但有你们的帮助，我们不会放弃。我们宁可选举失败，也不愿误导民众和不正确地管理民众。请帮助我在这个竞争不断的选举之中完成这项工作，帮助我在卷入危机的黑暗年月里完成这项工作，即使在今晚的欢乐中，这危机依然笼罩。我们将公正地评价我们辉煌的过去和忠诚的前辈，他们正以同情、谅解、诚信的眼光沉默地看着我们，我们必须对我们伟大的历史负责。我希望得到你们的全力帮助，我自己也将为大家全力以赴。
今晚，杜鲁门总统来到这里，这是我的荣耀，也是民主党的荣耀，而杜鲁门总统一生对美国的服务和勇气，也使他成为共和党和民主党历史上不朽的篇章。最后，我的朋友们，你们将这项艰巨的任务交付给我，我必将公正地去做，仁慈地去爱，上帝与我同在。

Acceptance of Nomination mp3