INT. LINCOLN'S OFFICE, THE WHITE HOUSE - MORNING
Lincoln is at his desk, Hay feeding him documents to read and sign. Seward warms himself by the fireplace, holding a brandy.
SEWARD
Consider the obstacles that we'd face. The aforementioned two-thirds majority needed to pass an amendment: we have a Republican 14.majority, but barely more than fifty percent -
LINCOLN
Fifty-six.
SEWARD
We need Democratic support. There's none to be had.
LINCOLN
Since the House last voted on the amendment there's been an election.Sixty-four Democrats lost their House seats in November. That's sixty-four Democrats looking for work come March.
SEWARD LINCOLN
I know, but that's - They don't need to worry about re-election, they can vote however it suits `em.
There's a knock at the office door.
SEWARD LINCOLN
But we can't, um, buy the (to Hay:) vote for the amendment. It's Might as well let `em in. too important.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
I said nothing of buying anything. We need twenty votes was all I said. Start of my second term,plenty of positions to fill.
Hay opens the door to the outer office,admitting the sound of a sizable crowd. JOHN NICOLAY, 33, Lincoln's rather severe German-born senior secretary, ushers in MR. JOLLY, mid-40s, mud-spattered coat, hat in hands, followed by MRS. JOLLY, similarly road-worn, holding a suitcase. Lincoln stands.
JOHN NICOLAY
Mr. President, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Jolly who've come from Missouri to -
MR. JOLLY From Jeff City, President.
Lincoln shakes Mr. Jolly's hand. Mrs. Jolly curtseys. 15.
LINCOLN
Mr. Jolly. Ma'am. This by the fire's Secretary of State Seward. Seward nods slightly as he lights a Cuban cigar.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Jeff City. Lincoln looks at the Jollys. They are worried and a little awed LINCOLN (CONT'D) I heard tell once of a Jefferson City lawyer who had a parrot that'd wake him each morning crying out, "Today is the day the world shall end, as scripture has foretold." And one day the lawyer shot him for the sake of peace and quiet, I presume, thus fulfilling, for the bird at least, its prophecy!
Lincoln smiles. The Jollys don't get it. Mr. Jolly looks back at Seward, who gestures for him to speak, then exhales a plume of smoke.
MR. JOLLY (launching into his PREPARED SPEECH:) They's only one tollbooth in Jeff City, t' the southwest `n this man Heinz Sauermagen from Rolla been in illegal possession for near two yar, since your man General Schofield set him up there. But President Monroe give that tollgate to my granpap and Quincy Adams give my pap a letter saying it's our'n for keeps. Mrs. Jolly got the - (to his wife:) Show Mr. Lincoln the Quincy Adams letter.
Mrs. Jolly opens the suitcase and begins to dig frantically for the letter.
LINCOLN
That's unnecessary, Mrs. Jolly. Just tell me what you want from me.
Seward exhales more smoke. 16.
Mr. Jolly starts coughing, while Mrs. Jolly tries to fan away the cigar smoke with the Quincy Adams letter.
MRS. JOLLY Mr. Jolly's emphysema don't care for cigars.
SEWARD
Madame. Do you know about the proposed Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution -
MRS. JOLLY Yes sir, everybody knows of it. The President favors it.
SEWARD
Do you?
MRS. JOLLY We do.
SEWARD
You know that it abolishes slavery?
MRS. JOLLY Yes sir. I know it.
SEWARD
And is that why you favor it?
MRS. JOLLY What I favor's ending the war. Once't we do away with slavery, the rebs'll quit fighting, since slavery's what they're fighting for. Mr. Lincoln, you always says so. With the amendment, slavery's ended and they'll give up. The war can finish then.
SEWARD
If the war finished first, before we end slavery, would -
MRS. JOLLY President Lincoln says the war won't stop unless we finish slavery-
SEWARD
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:) Niggers.
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.