《中英對照讀新聞》Stolen George Washington Letter Returned to Mass. Archives 遭竊喬治．華盛頓親筆函歸還麻州檔案館

◎ 魏國金

A letter signed by Gen. George Washington at the end of the Revolutionary War and stolen 60 years ago has been returned to the Massachusetts Archives after being intercepted before it could be sold at auction.

一封在美國獨立戰爭末期由喬治．華盛頓將軍署名、於60年前遭竊的信函，在拍賣前被截下後，已歸還麻薩諸塞州檔案館。

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The letter, dated April 14, 1783, asked the states to settle their financial accounts with the army before it was disbanded following the war. Copies were delivered to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. A staffer at the Massachusetts Historical Commission spotted the letter in February in a catalog from Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers of Dallas, which valued it at $60,000 to $80,000.

這封標明日期為1783年4月14日的信件，要求州政府於戰後部隊解散前，與軍方結算財務帳目。副本傳遞至麻州、新罕布夏州、紐澤西州、紐約州與羅德島。麻州文獻委員會一名職員2月間在「達拉斯遺產展覽與拍賣商」的目錄中認出這封信，該單位評估它的價值在6萬至8萬美元。

Alan Cote, secretary of Massachusetts' supervisor of public records, called the Texas gallery two days before the Feb. 21 auction and persuaded the owners to withdraw the letter from the sale."No one conceded it was stolen," Slater said of the letter. "There was an arrangement made whereby it would go to the state of Massachusetts, and it was withdrawn"from the auction.

麻州公務檔案主管艾倫．科特於2月21日拍賣會前2天致電德州的展覽拍賣商，說服物主撤銷拍賣該信函。史萊特談到這封信時說︰「沒有人承認它被竊，不過做了將它交給麻州政府的安排，同時自拍賣會上撤下。」

新聞辭典

settle：此處有結算、支付之意。例句︰I have several bills to settle. （我有好幾筆帳要結清。）

disband：解散、遣散。例句︰The army was disbanded when the war ended. （戰爭結束時，軍隊即被解散。）

spot：此處是認出、發現的意思。例句︰My father spotted several spelling mistakes in my composition. （我父親在我作文裡發現好幾個拼字錯誤。）

concede：承認，承認敗選。例句︰The senator had to concede.（參議員只好承認競選失敗。）