The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions

伊丽莎白·凯蒂·斯坦顿/Elizabeth Cady Stanton

伊丽莎白·凯蒂·斯坦顿（1815—1902），美国女权运动的伟大领袖，1848年7月19日至20日，她与另外四位妇女筹划召开了一次会议，“讨论社会、公民、宗教状况和妇女的权利问题”。在斯坦顿的领导下，小组起草了一个模仿《独立宣言》的《感伤宣言》。大约100名妇女和男士聚会纽约的塞尼卡福尔斯，讨论、修改并接受了她们的《宣言》。比起普遍蔑视妇女权利，尤其是蔑视妇女投票权的舆论来，她们要进步得多。

1.感伤宣言

在有关人类事务的发展进程中，当一部分人类家庭不得不依照自然法则和上帝的旨意，在人们之间接受妇女今非昔比的地位时，为了尊重人类的舆论，必须把妇女迫不得已而做出这样决定的原因予以宣布。

我们认为以下的真理是不可否认的：男人与妇女生而平等；造物者赋予她们某些不容剥夺的权利，其中有生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利，政府的建立就是为了保障这些权利，而政府所拥有的正当权利，是经过被统治者的同意而产生的——不管哪种形式的政府要来破坏这些目标，受到伤害的人民就有权利拒绝对它忠诚，从而要求重新建立一个政府；奠基这个新政府的原则和它权力的组织方式，要建立在人民确认的基础上，只有这样才是最可能保障他们获得安全和幸福的。为了慎重起见，成立多年的政府不应该因为那些轻微和暂时性的原因而被变更。过去的一切经验也表明，人们对于任何尚且能忍受的苦难，都愿意忍受，而无意为了自身的利益就废除他们习惯多时的政府。但是，当一连串滥用职权和强行剥夺的行为在一个共同目标的驱使下发生时，就表明政府企图要用专制的政策来统治妇女。既然这样，她们就有义务推翻这个政府，并为她们未来的安全建立新的保障。在过去，妇女就是这样逆来顺受的，现在则成了为什么现在她们不得不要求自己有权得到地位的原因。人类的历史是一部男人对妇女进行不间断地伤害与掠夺的历史，这种行为的直接目的是对妇女建立绝对的暴政专制。

……

现在，完全没有选举权的人数已经占据了全国人口的一半。她们在社会、宗教上都受到不公正的待遇。面对上面这些不公正的法律条文，和妇女实实在在感受到的冤屈和压迫，以及最神圣的权力被人蒙骗的事实，我们坚决要求立刻赋予所有妇女作为美国公民应当拥有的权利和特权。

在我们伟大的工作开始时，我们预测将会遭遇扑面而来的误解、谣传和嘲讽。不过，我们仍将全力以赴来实现我们的目标，我们将聘请代理人，大范围地宣传，向政府和立法机构请愿，努力争取教会与新闻界的支持。我们希望此次大会后，在全国各地将会相继召开一系列的会议。

2.决议

鉴于“人类必须追求真正意义上的幸福”被一致认为是自然的伟大法则，布莱克斯通在评论中指出，这是一条与人类共存亡的自然法则，是上帝亲赋的法则；理所当然也比任何其他法则具有更高的约束性。在全世界，所有国家里，无论何时，这条法则都具有约束性。任何人类的法则如果与之相矛盾，都不具有任何效力。只有那些间接地或直接地从这一根源衍生的法律才具有效力和权威。

决议认为，不管什么形式，只要是与妇女真正意义上的幸福相冲突的法律，都是与自然的伟大法则相违背的，都是无效的，因为“自然的伟大法则的约束性是建立在所有其他法则之上的”。

决议认为，一切阻挡妇女获取道义作为谋取必要社会地位的法律，一切主张男尊女卑的法律，都是与自然的伟大法则背道而驰的，因而也是不具备任何法律效力或权威的。

决议认为，造物主的旨意是男女平等，人类道义善心的最高境界是争取男女平等。

决议认为，应当开化我国的妇女，让她们了解那些制约她们生活的法律，这样她们就不会对妇女目前的地位表示心满意足，从而表现出自己的低能，她们也不会声称自己已经拥有想要的一切权利，从而表现出自己的愚昧。

决议认为，既然男人宣称他在智商上相对优越，并且承认妇女在道德方面相对优越，那么男人的一个显而易见的责任就是，正如容许妇女在所有宗教团体中有机会做到的那样，鼓励妇女畅所欲言、为人师表。

决议认为，在社会上，在道德和行为举止文明礼仪等方面，对男士提出的要求也应当和妇女一样。男女犯下的罪若性质相同，应当受到同样的严厉制裁。

妇女在公开场合发表演说，常常招致某些人无礼的攻击，而这些人却以亲临现场的方式怂恿妇女登台演出、举行音乐会或在马戏院登台献艺。决议认为，这种攻击是极不得体的。

决议认为，妇女对于各种限制已经处于长期的麻木状态。这些限制的设置是败落的习俗和对《圣经》的肆意曲解造成的。现在妇女即将步入一片更为广阔的天地，一片伟大的造物主恩赐给她的天地。

决议认为，保障妇女神圣的选举权是本国妇女的职责。

决议认为，每个人的能力与责任相同这一事实必然产生人权平等的结果。

因此，决议认为，既然造物主赋予男女同等的能力和维护这些能力的同等责任感，所以显而易见，男女有着相同的权利和责任，来采取一切公正的手段促进所有正义事业的进行，在道德和宗教这些重大的问题上更是如此。毋庸置疑，妇女有权同她的兄弟一样能够在私下和公开的场合，发表文章和演讲，在任何合法的集会上运用任何合理的手段，开诚布公地宣讲。这是无可争议的真理，它诞生于人类本性的神圣原则中，任何与之相违背的习俗和权威，不论是现代的还是已经磨损发白的古老法则，都将被看作是不容争辩的谬误，是与人类利益相违背的。

决议认为，我们事业成功进程的加快，取决于男人与妇女的执着的热情和努力，推翻教会的独裁，确保让妇女在各行各业享有与男子同样的参与权。

1.Declaration of Sentiments

When， in the course of human events， it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to assume among the people of the earth a position different from that which they have hitherto occupied， but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them， a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course.

We hold these truths to be self-evident：that all men and women are created equal；that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights；that among these are life， liberty and the pursuit of happiness；that to secure these rights governments are instituted， deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of governmentbecomes destructive of these ends， it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it， and to insist upon the institution of a new government， laying its foundation on such principles， and organizing its powers in such form， as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.Prudence， indeed， will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes；and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer， while evils are sufferable， than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.But when a long train of abuses and usurpations， pursuing invariably the same object， evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism， it is their duty to throw off such government， and to provide new guards for their future security.Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government， and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled.The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman， having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.

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Now， in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country， their social and religious degradation—in view of the unjust laws above mentioned， and because women dofeel themselves aggrieved， oppressed， and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights， we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.

In entering upon the great work before us， we anticipate no small amount of misconception， misrepresentation and ridicule；but we shall use every instrumentality within our power to effect our object. We shall employ agents， circulate tracts， petition the State and National legislatures， and endeavor to enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf.We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions embracing every part of the country.

2.Resolutions

Whereas， the great precept of nature is conceded to be， that "man shall pursue his own true and substantial happiness"， Blackstone in his Commentaries remarks， that this law of Nature being coeval with mankind， and dictated by God himself， is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe， in all countries and at all times；no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this， and such of them as are valid， derive all their force， and all their validity， and all their authority， mediately and immediately， from this original；therefore，

Resolved， that such laws as conflict， in any way with the true and substantial happiness of woman， are contrary to thegreat precept of nature and of no validity， for this is "superior in obligation to any other".

Resolved， that all laws which prevent woman from occupying such a station in society as her conscience shall dictate， or which place her in a position inferior to that of man， are contrary to the great precept of nature， and therefore of no force or authority.

Resolved， that woman is man's equal—was intended to be so by the Creator， and the highest good of the race demands that she should be recognized as such.

Resolved， that the women of this country ought to be enlightened in regard to the laws under which they live， that they may no longer publish their degradation by declaring themselves satisfied with their present position， nor their ignorance by asserting that they have all the rights they want.

Resolved， that in as much as man， while claiming for himself intellectual superiority does accord to woman moral superiority， it is preeminently his duty to encourage her to speak and teach， as she has an opportunity， in all religious assemblies.

Resolved， that the same amount of virtue， delicacy and refinement of behavior that is required of woman in the social state， should also be required of man， and the same transgressions should be visited with equal severity on both man and woman.

Resolved， that the objection of indelicacy and impropriety， which is so often brought against woman when she addressesa public audience， comes with a very ill-grace from those who encourage， by their attendance， her appearance on the stage， in the concert or in feats of the circus.

Resolved， that woman has too long rested satisfied in the circumscribed limits which corrupt customs and a perverted application of the Scriptures have marked out for her， and that it is time she should move in the enlarged sphere which her great Creator has assigned her.

Resolved， that it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.

Resolved， that the equality of human rights results necessarily from the fact of the identity of the race in capabilities and responsibilities.

Resolved， therefore， That being invested by the creator with the same capabilities， and the same consciousness of responsibility for their exercise， it is demonstrably the right and duty of woman， equally with man， to promote every righteous cause by every righteous means；and especially in regard to the great subjects of morals and religion， it is self-evidently her right to participate with her brother in teaching them， both in private and in public， by writing and by speaking， by any instrumentalities proper to be used and in any assemblies proper to be held；and this being a self-evident truth growing out of the divinely implanted principles of human nature， any custom or authority adverse to it， whethermodern or wearing the hoary sanction of antiquity， is to be regarded as a self-evident falsehood， and at war with mankind.

Resolved， That the speedy success of our cause depends upon the zealous and untiring efforts of both men and women， for the overthrow of the monopoly of the pulpit and for the securing to women an equal participation with men in the various trades， professions and commerce.