Lincoln Page #14

RICHARD SCHELL (V.O.)

Jacob Graylor -

Graylor selects one and hands it to Bilbo.

RICHARD SCHELL (V.O.)

He'd like to be Federal Revenue

Assessor for the Fifth District of

Pennsylvania.

INT. A BEDROOM IN THE ST. CHARLES HOTEL - NIGHT

A small room, two beds, in disarray: newspapers, overflowing

ashtrays, whiskey bottles empty on the floor. Latham and

Schell stand at a table strewn with the remnants of a poker

game. Bilbo lies on one of the beds. All three are in their

shirtsleeves. Seward is at the table.

43.

ROBERT LATHAM:

- so the total of representatives

voting three weeks from today is

reduced to 182, which means 122 yes

votes to reach the requisite two-

thirds of the House. Assuming all

Republicans vote for the

amendment...?

Seward nods, less assertively than Latham would like.

ROBERT LATHAM (CONT'D)

Then, despite our abstention, to

reach a two-thirds majority we

remain 20 yeses short.

INT. THE OLD TAVERN, WASHINGTON - NIGHT

Bilbo is drinking schooners of beer with EDWIN LECLERK (D,

OH) and CLAY HAWKINS (D, OH). Hawkins listens as Bilbo gives

his pitch. LeClerk looks at the prospectuses.

ROBERT LATHAM (V.O.)

For which we're seeking from among

64 lame duck Democrats. Fully 39 of

these we deem unredeemable no

votes.

LeClerk throws his beer in Bilbo's face, soaking Bilbo and

the prospectuses. Hawkins looks shocked. LeClerk storms out.

INT. THE ROOM IN THE ST. CHARLES HOTEL - NIGHT

W.N. BILBO

The kind that hates n*ggers, hates

God for making n*ggers.

ROBERT LATHAM:

The Good Lord on High would despair

of their souls.

SEWARD:

(DISTASTEFULLY:
)

Thank you for that pithy

explanation, Mr. Bilbo.

RICHARD SCHELL:

We've abandoned these 39 to the

Devil that possesses them.

44.

EXT. A WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD IN WASHINGTON - DAY

Schell stands at the door of a small, grubby row house. He

presents the folio, warped from its beer bath, to WILLIAM

HUTTON(D, IN), eyes red from crying, dressed in mourning

black.

Hutton slams the door in Schell's face. A funeral wreath that

adorns the door falls to the ground. A daguerreotype attached

to the wreath depicts a young officer, Hutton's brother

Frederick.

INT. THE ROOM IN THE ST. CHARLES HOTEL - NIGHT

RICHARD SCHELL:

The remaining lame ducks, on whom

we've been working with a purpose -

Schell hands Latham a stack of folded prospectuses, each with

a name scrawled on it.

ROBERT LATHAM:

Charles Hanson.

EXT. IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOL - TWILIGHT

Representatives Merrick, Lanford, Benson, Stuart and Hanson,

the New York lame ducks, descend the stairs, discussing the

opening of the amendment debate, to which they've just been

listening.

Latham smoothly holds Hanson back from the group, extending a

hand, the still pristine portfolio under his arm. He smiles

as the other NY lame ducks proceed down the stairs, unaware,

then nods his head back up toward the Capitol steps, where

Bilbo and Schell wait. Latham opens the folio as he talks to

Hanson.

INT. THE ROOM IN THE ST. CHARLES HOTEL - NIGHT

ROBERT LATHAM:

Giles Stuart.

INT. THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT - DAY

In the grand lobby there are Federal bank windows. Schell is

in line at one of these behind Giles Stuart, who completes a

transaction and leaves, counting money. Bilbo, barrelling the

other way, intentionally slams into Stuart, causing him to

drop his money. Bilbo and Schell both kneel to help.

45.

Schell places the open folio in Stuart's hands. As the men

pile his recovered money into the folio, Stuart's puzzled,

then intrigued. Schell gives him a meaningful look.

CLOSE ON A SMALL WOODEN FILE BOX

A folded prospectus, now with the name "Stuart" scrawled on

it, is added to a growing file.

INT. THE US PATENT OFFICE, WASHINGTON - DAY

Visitors file past cabinets containing animal and plant

specimens and inventions; the line circles around a large

case in which an amputated leg capped with a brass plate is

displayed. A sign identifies it: LEFT LEG OF GENERAL DANIEL

SICKLES, AT GETTYSBURG, JULY 5, 1863.

ROBERT LATHAM (V.O.)

Nelson Merrick.

Latham looks through the case at Schell, who's next to Nelson

Merrick, who nods, solemnly staring at the leg. Schell

proffers Merrick the folio. Merrick flips through the folio.

ROBERT LATHAM (V.O.)

Homer Benson.

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