Lincoln Page #26

MR. SPEAKER, WILL YOU PERMIT THIS

VILE BOORISH MAN TO SLANDER AND TO

THREATEN ME AND -

The journalists pack up their notebooks; this is fun, but not

newsworthy, and only a few bother to record it.

Stevens limps out through the aisle to wild Republican

applause. He looks up to the balcony; Mary is looking down

approvingly. He looks down before she can see him smile.

INT. A CORRIDOR OUTSIDE THE HOUSE CHAMBER - LATER

Stevens sits on a bench, alone, thinking, troubled. Asa

Vintner Litton approaches him.

ASA VINTNER LITTON

You asked if ever I was surprised.

Stevens nods.

ASA VINTNER LITTON (CONT'D)

Today, Mr. Stevens, I was

surprised. You've led the battle

for race equality for thirty years!

The basis of, of every hope for

this country's future life, you

denied Negro equality! I'm

nauseated. You refused to say that

all humans are, well... human! Have

you lost your very soul, Mr.

Stevens? Is there nothing you won't

say?

Stevens nods, then, quietly:

THADDEUS STEVENS

I'm sorry you're nauseous, Asa,

that must be unpleasant.

I want the amendment to pass. So

that the Constitution's first and

only mention of slavery is its

absolute prohibition. For this

amendment, for which I have worked

all of my life and for which

81.

countless colored men and women

have fought and died and now

hundreds of thousands of soldiers -

no, sir, no, it seems there is very

nearly nothing I won't say.

EXT. THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON - MORNING

Lincoln and Robert are in the buggy driven by the old

soldier; a young bodyguard soldier sits beside the driver,

his rifle uselessly tucked under his legs. Lincoln is on one

side reading over a stack of documents. Robert's on the other

side of the buggy, staring sullenly at his feet.

The buggy stops outside an army hospital. Lincoln packs up

his papers.

ROBERT:

I'm not going in.

LINCOLN:

You said you wanted to help me.

ROBERT:

This is - This is just a clumsy

attempt at discouragement. I've

been to army hospitals, I've seen

surgeries, I went and visited the

malaria barges with mama.

LINCOLN:

She told me she didn't take you

inside.

ROBERT:

I snuck in after - I've seen what

it's like. This changes nothing.

LINCOLN:

At all rates, I'm happy to have

your company.

Stepping out of the buggy, he hands his folio to the

bodyguard and enters the army hospital.

INT. ARMY HOSPITAL - MORNING

He's met in the antechamber by an ARMY SURGEON.

LINCOLN:

Morning, Jim.

82.

ARMY SURGEON:

Hello, Mr. President.

LINCOLN:

Good to see you again.

They move into the main ward, Lincoln removing his hat.

LINCOLN (CONT'D)

Well, boys, first question: You

getting enough to eat?

He walks from bed to bed, shaking hands with each patient.

Most are amputees.

FIRST PATIENT:

Hello, sir.

LINCOLN:

What's your name, soldier?

FIRST PATIENT:

Robert.

LINCOLN:

Robert. Good to meet you, Robert.

SECOND PATIENT:

Nice to meet you.

LINCOLN:

What's your name?

SECOND PATIENT:

Kevin.

LINCOLN:

Tell me your names as I go past. I

like to know who I'm talkin' to.

Kevin.

THIRD PATIENT:

Mr. President. John.

LINCOLN:

John. I've seen you before.

FOURTH PATIENT:

Mr. President...

EXT. OUTSIDE THE ARMY HOSPITAL - MORNING

Robert, brooding, waits in the buggy.

83.

Hearing a creaking, rumbling sound, Robert turns to see TWO

BLACK ORDERLIES in grey uniforms wrangling a large top-heavy

wheelbarrow, covered with filthy canvas. One orderly pushes

while the other keeps the barrow from tipping over.

Robert notices, in the barrow's wake, a trail of blood. He

gets out of the buggy and follows as the orderlies turn a

corner of the building.

Behind the building, where the ground is bare, pitted with

puddles of water, Robert watches as the orderlies reach the

edge of a shallow pit. One orderly pulls the canvas back,

revealing severed legs, arms, hands, rotten, burnt, shattered

by bullet or bomb.

Robert watches as they toss the remains into the pit.

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