Lincoln Page #6

But if it did. The South is

exhausted. If they run out of

bullets and men, would you still

17.

want your, uh - Who's your

representative?

LINCOLN:

Jeff City? That's, uh, Congressman

Burton?

MRS. JOLLY

"Beanpole" Burton, I mean, Josiah

Burton, yes, sir!

LINCOLN:

(to Mrs. Jolly:
)

Republican. Undecided on the

question of the amendment, I

believe. Perhaps you could call on

him and inform him of your

enthusiasm.

MRS. JOLLY

Yeah...

SEWARD:

Madam? If the rebels surrender next

week, would you, at the end of this

month, want Congressman Burton to

vote for the Thirteenth Amendment?

Mrs. Jolly is puzzled, and looks to Mr. Jolly. Then:

MRS. JOLLY

If that was how it was, no more war

and all, I reckon Mr. Jolly'd much

prefer not to have Congress pass

the amendment.

Mr. Jolly nods. Seward glances at Lincoln, then turns back to

THE JOLLYS:

SEWARD:

And why's that?

Mr. Jolly's surprised: the answer's so obvious.

MR. JOLLY

(in a hoarse voice:)

N*ggers.

MRS. JOLLY

If he don't have to let some

Alabama coon come up to Missouri,

steal his chickens, and his job,

he'd much prefer that.

18.

Seward takes the letter from Mrs. Jolly and hands it to

Lincoln.

SEWARD:

(to Lincoln, quietly:)

The people!

I begin to see why you're in such a

great hurry to put it through.

LINCOLN:

(to Mr. Jolly:
)

Would you let me study this letter,

sir, about the tollbooth? Come back

to me in the morning and we'll

consider what the law says.

Lincoln stands.

LINCOLN (CONT'D)

And be sure to visit "Beanpole" and

tell him that you support passage

of the Amendment. As a military

necessity.

The Jollys nod, skeptical now.

NICOLAY:

(to the Jollys:
)

Thank you.

Nicolay escorts them out. Before he closes the door:

LINCOLN:

Oh, Nicolay? When you have a

moment.

Nicolay nods and steps into the anteroom, where dozens more

petitioners are waiting to speak with Lincoln. Hay confers

with the doorman. Seward closes the door behind them.

Lincoln kneels at the fireplace, stoking the fire. He puts

more wood in, then stands. Seward watches him, then:

SEWARD:

If procuring votes with offers of

employment is what you intend, I'll

fetch a friend from Albany who can

supply the skulking men gifted at

this kind of shady work. Spare me

the indignity of actually speaking

to Democrats. Spare you the

exposure and liability.

19.

There is a sharp knock on the closed door, followed by two

long ones.

LINCOLN:

Pardon me, that's a distress

signal, which I am bound by solemn

oath to respond to.

Lincoln opens the door. Tad enters, cross.

TAD:

Tom Pendel took away the glass

camera plates of slaves Mr. Gardner

sent over because Tom says mama

says they're too distressing, but-

LINCOLN:

You had nightmares all night,

mama's right to -

TAD:

But I'll have worse nightmares if

you don't let me look at the plates

again!

LINCOLN:

Perhaps.

SEWARD:

We can't afford a single defection

from anyone in our party...not even

a single Republican absent when

they vote. You know who you've got

to see.

Nicolay enters. Lincoln turns to him.

LINCOLN:

Send over to Blair House. Ask

Preston Blair can I call on him

around five o'clock.

SEWARD:

(a shudder, a swallow of

BRANDY:
)

God help you. God alone knows what

he'll ask you to give him.

INT. THE LIBRARY, BLAIR HOUSE, WASHINGTON - EVENING

Lincoln's perched on the edge of an ottoman.

20.

LINCOLN:

If the Blairs tell `em to, no

Republican will balk at voting for

the amendment.

The room is baronial. PRESTON BLAIR, patriarch of his wealthy

and powerful family, 72 years old, sits facing his son,

MONTGOMERY BLAIR, 50, whip-thin. A fire blazes in a massive

fireplace behind Monty. Preston's handsome, elegant daughter,

ELIZABETH BLAIR LEE, 45, sits across from Monty, next to Tad,

who's wearing a Union infantryman's uniform, a real musket by

his side.

MONTGOMERY BLAIR

No conservative Republican is what

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