The Conspirator Page #9

but no judge would oppose Stanton

or the might of the War Department.

Uh, and, three, John Surratt

shows himself before noon tomorrow.

Are you going somewhere?

I have business in Baltimore.

What?

You... You can't leave now!

It's over.

Freddie, she's not your mother.

If John Surratt won't

give himself up for her,

then why should you?

Freddie!

Frederick Sebastian Aiken,

we know you're in there!

Open the door now. Come on.

Fred... ah, there he is.

Well, if it isn't

the reclusive Master Aiken.

We thought you could use this.

Hamilton, how well

do you know Judge Olin?

What are you doing?

You think he'll give me

a writ of habeas corpus?

You can't pursue a writ.

They won't allow me

to appeal this verdict,

so I'm gonna appeal for a new trial.

If you do this,

you will humiliate Stanton,

and he will destroy you.

The hell with Stanton.

Why do you... Why do you insist

on standing by her?

Hey. Hey, it makes no sense.

What they're doing to her is wrong.

If John Wilkes Booth himself

was tried in the same manner,

it would still be wrong.

Hamilton, she's to hang

in less than 12 hours.

Judge Olin's out of town.

He would have been my first choice.

What about Wylie?

Maybe Wylie.

He's, uh... he's always been known

as a Free Thinker.

Yes. He's been around for ages,

but he was the closest to Lincoln.

Then what about Carter?

Not a chance. He was with Stanton

on the night of the assassination.

Besides, they have dinner

together once a week.

Then you're saying that Wylie

is my best option.

No. Your best option is

to stop this nonsense

and help us empty this bottle.

Better listen to the man.

Judge Wylie?

I, uh... I need to apply

for a writ of habeas corpus.

At this hour of the night?

I'm sorry, sir. It can't wait.

Interrupting an old man's sleep?

I'd say you're getting off

on the wrong foot, son.

It's for Mary Surratt.

A new trial...

in a civil court

by a jury of her peers.

Is that what you want, Mr. Aiken?

Yes, please, Your Honor.

So we can relive our president's

assassination all over again.

That's not my intention.

Then to what intent?

Might this not result

in exactly the same thing?

Perhaps, but results should not be

our only measure of justice.

Are you going

to lecture me on justice?

Sorry, sir.

You realize that I was personally

appointed by President Lincoln.

Yes.

And yet you still come to me.

Forgive me, Your Honor,

but are we not obligated

to follow the law at all times,

regardless of our emotions?

And is this not driven by emotions?

Isn't that what this is all about?

It's about preventing injustice.

Now, I know that the people

are still angry.

Yes, they are, and so am I.

But I hope,

I trust that President Lincoln

appointed you because you hold

the Constitution sacred.

Whether you believe Mary Surratt

is guilty or innocent,

the Constitution was intended...

And now you're gonna

lecture me on the Constitution.

...to protect the rights of all citizens

at all times in peace or war.

And in a matter of hours,

it will have failed to protect her

unless you sign that writ.

You believe she's innocent?

I don't know.

But if we don't get a proper trial,

we never will.

You can't go in there! Wait!

I'm so sorry, Mr. Secretary.

I tried to stop him.

It's all right.

Good morning, Joseph.

Good morning.

It appears that Mr. Aiken has procured

a writ signed by Judge Wylie.

Good day.

Before you go, Captain,

tell me...

when you first learned

that our secretary of State

had been butchered

to within an inch of his life

and that they put a bullet in the back

of our president's head,

when this city was in chaos,

did you not wish to see order restored

and justice served,

or were you just concerned

with the rights of the assassins?

It's not justice you're after.

It's revenge.

I would never go to such lengths

out of vengeance,

but to ensure the survival of this nation,

I would do anything.

Mary Surratt was a party

to the most grievous crime in our history.

Necessity demands that she be given

a swift, sure and harsh sentence.

I, too, hold sacred

our rights, counselor,

but they count not at all

if our nation ceases to exist.

Please see to it that Mary Surratt

is delivered to Judge Wylie's courtroom

no later than noon...

sir.

Let's go. Come on. Stay there.

You will have to stand trial again,

but it will be a civilian trial.

And a civilian trial has no generals.

That's correct. No generals.

Bless you, son.

Bless you.

Oh, Mama.

Anna.

Should only be three.

It's time, ma'am.

What are you doing?

We need to prepare her

with the others.

No. No, she is to be transferred

to Judge Wylie's court.

I advise sedating the young lady.

You'll do no such thing.

Anna. I have procured a writ

that says she is to get a new trial.

President just suspended your writ.

I'm sorry.

She's to hang with the others.

No.

No. Frederick, do something.

I...

I'm so sorry.

Oh, no.

No. No, no, no, no.

No, Mama. No.

No, Mama. No.

I'll always be with you.

No! No!

Oh, Mama, no!

I love you, Anna.

I love you.

No!

Oh, God, no!

Mama!

Inter arma, silent leges.

"In times of war,

the law falls silent."

It shouldn't.

Word is the last Confederate general

surrendered to Union troops.

Peace.

Peace at last.

I am hereby commanded

to cause David E. Herold,

G. A. Atzerodt,

Lewis Payne

and Mary E. Surratt

to be executed

in accordance with the order of

the president of the United States,

Andrew Johnson.

The Almighty God bless you.

Stand your prisoners up.

Step them to the noose.

Okay, sir.

I'll show you where he's at...

No, I know the way.

Mr. Aiken.

I didn't think you'd come.

I don't know what help

I can be to you.

I've left the law.

I just wanted to thank you

for the kindness

that you showed my mother.

Believe me, Mr. Aiken,

I never thought they'd kill her.

Father Walter asked

that I give you these.

They were your mother's.

I hope they can be

of some comfort to you.

They belong to you.

You were more of a son to her

than I ever was.

Thank you.

# I never learned

to count my blessings #

# I choose instead to

dwell in my disasters #

# and of these cutthroat busted sunsets #

# these cold and damp white mornings #

# I have grown weary #

# I walk on down the hill #

# through grass

grown tall and brown #

# and still it's hard somehow

to let go of my pain #

# Will I always feel this way? #

# Well, I looked

my demons in the eyes #

# laid bare my chest #

# said, "Do your best to destroy me" #

# You see, I've been to hell

and back so many times #

# I must admit you kind of bore me #

# There's a lot of things

I don't understand #

# Why so many people lie #

# It's the hurt I hide #

# that fuels the fire inside me #

# Will I always #

# feel this way? #

# So empty #

# so estranged #

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