权力与自由:美墨战争期间美国外交大辩论研究

Power and Liberty: A Research on the Great Debate of American Diplomacy during the Mexican War

美墨战争发生在19世纪美国大陆扩张进入高潮时期,是美国以武力进行领土扩张的开始,在美国国会内部引发了一场有关美国国家目标的外交大辩论。辩论从得克萨斯兼并开始,涉及宣战、拨款、领土兼并以及奴隶制的扩展等诸多问题,但其核心主题在于扩张性的外交政策与美国的自由事业是否相容,美国的国家目标是追求领土的扩大,还是自由的延续,从而体现了当时美国人对权力与自由两者之间关系的思考。

The Mexican War took its climax. It was the beginning place in the nineteenth century when the American territorial expansion arrived at of American territorial expansion by force. Such a way of expanding caused a great debate on the American national goal in the United States Congress. The great debate which derived from the annexation of Texas involved many issues, such as the declaration of war, the appropriations, the annexation and the ex- tension of slavery, Whereas the core of the debate lied in whether such an expansive foreign policy would be consistent with the American liberty cause. Which is the American national goal, the expansion of territory or the perpetuation of freedom？ The answers to that question embodied the Americans＇ reflection on the relationship between power and liberty in American diplomacy.