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大家知道吗？今天是林肯总统发表著名的盖兹堡演说的第150年，在美国许多地方都有纪念活动，而不少媒体也有专题报导。美国内战最惨烈的盖兹堡战役发生在1863年的7月1日至3日，双方死伤超过7千民士兵，尸横遍野，而后宾夕法尼亚州政府斥资买下该土地作为这些阵亡将士的墓园，並在1863年11月19日题献这座墓园，当日的主讲人是国务卿，爱德华·埃弗里特，林肯总统是在最后才受邀的。但他简短的272个字演说的重要性远远超过了埃弗里特先生1万3千6百零9字，历时两个多小时的演说，以下是该演说的中译版，供大家欣赏，阅读：

八十七年前吾輩先祖於這大陸上，肇建一個新的國度，乃孕育於自由，且致力於凡人皆生而平等此信念。当下吾等被捲入一场伟大的内战，以考验是否此国度，或任何肇基於和奉献於斯者，可永垂不朽。吾等现相逢於此战中一处浩大战场。而吾等将奉献此战场之部分，作为这群交付彼者生命让那国度勉能生存的人们最後安息之处。此乃全然妥切且适当而为吾人应行之举。但，於更大意义之上，吾等无法致力、无法奉上、无法成就此土之圣。这群勇者，无论生死，曾於斯奋战到底，早已使其神圣，而远超过吾人卑微之力所能增减。这世间不曾丝毫留意，也不长久记得吾等於斯所言，但永不忘怀彼人於此所为。吾等生者，理应当然，献身於此辈鞠躬尽瘁之未完大业。吾等在此责无旁贷献身於眼前之伟大使命：自光荣的亡者之处吾人肩起其终极之奉献—吾等在此答应亡者之死当非徒然—此国度，於神佑之下，当享有自由之新生—民有、民治、民享之政府当免於凋零。

英文原版是：

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.