All language subtitles for Death.Valley.Days.S08E21.The.Battle.of.Mokelumne.Hill.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-bigworm_track3_[eng]

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks.
I'’m the Old Ranger,

with an exciting new story
of real life in the Old West.

In the year 1851,
the new state of California,

looking for a revenue
for its empty treasury,

imposed a license tax
of $20 a month

on every foreign miner.

Now, the Chinese
and the Mexicans
grumbled loudly,

but the French
in one mining camp
decided on open revolt,

and that'’s what brought about...

[ whinnying ]

[ whinnies, sputters ]

[ sputters ]

Monique.
Good morning,
Mr. Rosseau.

Bonjour.

Lieutenant Bradshaw.

We are waiting
for Monique'’s fiancé,
Paul Martain.

He is buying some supplies.

I was just thinking about you.
Was hoping I'’d see you.

He should be out
at any moment.

Is that a hint? MONIQUE:
My father just means--

I don'’t know how it is
in this country, Lieutenant,

but in France,
a young man doesn'’t press
his attentions upon a girl

who is already promised
to another.

I didn'’t realize my intentions
were unwelcomed, sir.

Perhaps Monique didn'’t
make it plain to you,

but I do.

In the future,
please remember.

Is that the way
you want it, Monique?

Well, uh...

Papa, Lieutenant Bradshaw
is just being friendly.

Must you always
be making issues?

Can'’t you ever accept
things as they are?

Not when they are
against my principles.

Perhaps you had better go
before Paul comes out.

[ men shouting ]

What happened?

He'’s hurt![ groaning ]

He'’s hurt real bad.

Ge-- Get the sheriff.

You need a doctor, Jed.
Call Doc Stiles.

All right.What happened?

Tri-- Tried to collect
the taxes...

On the Frenchies?[ grunts ]

Ya hear that?

Those French devils
are out for blood.

First thing you know,
none of us will be safe
in the street.

There'’s two
of the parlez-vous'’ers.

We oughta
teach '’em a lesson.

Come on.Let'’s go get 'em.

[ men chattering ]Looks like trouble.

Better get going.

What about Paul?

[ chattering continues ]

[ door closes ]

It'’s Jed Matthews.
He'’s taken a pretty bad beating.

[ chattering ]

Come on!You won'’t get away...

[ Monique screams ]You take care of him.

MAN:
Come on!Looks like trouble over there.

Oh! Oh!

Take your filthy hands
off her.

Come on!

[ chattering ]

All right, you boys,
break it up!

I said, "Break it up!"

[ grunts ]

I mean business.

Next man to raise a hand
ends up in a cell.

I understand
how most of you feel,

but this thing ain'’t
gonna settle matters.

Now, you two go on
back up the hill.

And take a message
to your countrymen.

Beating the tax collector
half to death

is just gonna bring '’em
more trouble.

[ people murmuring ]

Thank you for your help.

Thank heaven
you'’re all right.

You are quick to battle
for a beautiful young woman,

but you do nothing
about this outrageous tax!

Is not the face of justice
as attractive?

Yah!

This tax thing
is getting out of hand.

If these foreigners
don'’t start obeying the law,

we'’ll have to
call the army.

PAUL:
Get out of here!

I'’ll teach you to make
cow'’s eyes at my Monique!

[ grunts ]Paul, stop!

He meant no harm.[ grunts ]

[ blow lands ]

Paul! [ blow lands ]

Paul!You get out of here.

Another of your exhibitions.

I am well aware
that you are master
of the savate.

Must every man in town
be kicked about
to be reminded of it?

Yes, if it also reminds them
that you are promised to me.

Sometimes I wish
I could forget it.

Do you, Monique?

Oh, Paul. [ hoofbeats departing ]

[ clears throat ]

Good afternoon,
Lieutenant.

You must forgive us for airing
our personal affairs
in public.

We have no reason
to apologize.

He has no business
snooping around here
in the first place.

I didn'’t come here to snoop.
I came here to talk to you.

Please come in.Thank you.

[ sucks teeth ]

Please sit down,
Lieutenant.Thank you.

May I offer you
a glass of wine?

Uh, no, thanks.
I don'’t have too much time.

We were grateful
for your help
this morning, Lieutenant,

but it did not necessitate
a social call.

Well, this is not
a social call, sir.

People in this settlement
listen to you, sir,

and I'’m here
to ask you to stop them

from any further
acts of violence
against our officials.

That man who rode back
into town today barely
made it back with his life.

You are being dramatic.

He was merely
being taught a lesson.

Well, it'’s not quite
that simple, my friend.

That man was a representative
of the government,

and any attack on the government
will not be tolerated.

Then let them
repeal the tax!

$20 a month!

Well, that'’s as much
as many men take out
of the ground in a month!

I won'’t argue the point.

Because you know
we are right!

There'’s talk in town
of taking drastic measures.

Now, they may send
the army out here.
Do you want that?

The army!
Papa, did you hear?
I heard.

Let the army come.
We'’ll show them.

As we did in France?
Have you forgotten so soon?

Monique!

There was a little,
uh, misunderstanding
with the authorities.

Very slight.

We sailed
by the first ship.

Well, what happened
in the old country'’s
none of our business,

but what you do over here is.

There happens to be a tax
on foreign miners.

Unfair!

But, nevertheless,
it'’s a law!And should be obeyed.

Monique, keep out of this!

I have seen enough bloodshed.
I want no more.

I beg of you, sir,
to use your influence
with your people.

A Frenchman will
never bow his neck.

I was talking to Mr. Rosseau.

Paul is right.

We must resist oppression,

or we become
nothing more than slaves.

We are true Frenchmen.

Who have fled France!

I thought our life
here in America

would be new and different.

And now I find
there is no change.

Always there are rebellions.

I am weary of them,

and weary of the people
who create them!

You, forever aching
for a fight.

I wish-- I wish
you would meet someone able

to give you
the beating you deserve.

Maybe then
we would have peace.

All right, Monique.
Let'’s sit down now.

Maybe-- We oughta be able
to talk this thing
over sensibly.

Take your hands from her.

You! You come here
and preach to us!

You care nothing
about our cause!

Your interest seems
to be in Monique!

I should break you in two
for your audacity.

Paul...

He'’s right, Monique.

I am interested in you.
Very much.

But I also feel
that your cause is just.

Ha!
MONIQUE:
Let him finish.

But you'’re going about things
the wrong way.

You pay the tax,
then you make a formal protest
to the government.

Yes, after they have our money. BRADSHAW:
But they'’ll listen.

You have not had
as much experience
with governments

as we have, Lieutenant.

In this country
it is different.

You said yourself,
everything is the same.

No. We will fight
to the death.

And what will
that accomplish?

It will prove that we French
do not joke about
our love of freedom.

There'’s never been any question
about that point.

The point that I'’m
trying to make is--

Enough!
You'’ve said enough.

I think perhaps
you had better go

before you end up
like your friend,
the tax collector!

I-- I will do what I can
to make them understand,
Lieutenant.

I'’m sure you will.

Bring on your army!

Do not be fooled
by his fine talk, Monique.

He is a soldier
in the uniform of our enemy. [ hoofbeats departing ]

He is an American,
and so am I.

You are a foreigner.
Why else is your father taxed?

True, this is
our chosen country--

a country we'’ve grown to love.

But they call us "foreigners."

But they would not for long
if we acted like Americans,

if we obeyed the law.

Yes, send the government
a letter.

Ah, the sound of guns
will travel faster
than a piece of paper.

Now, do not worry,
chérie.

I will let no harm
come to you.

[ chuckles ]

I might as well
be kissing an icicle.

Perhaps you have
fallen in love
with the soldier.

Be patient with her, Paul.

She is afraid, as I am.

I will inform the others
about the troops.

Shall we meet here tomorrow?If it must be.

It must.

[ knock on door ]

Come in.

Colonel Fremont,
Lieutenant Bradshaw
is here, sir.

Send him in.

[ door closes ]At ease, Lieutenant.

You'’ve heard about the revolt
at Mokelumne Hills?

The refusal of the French
to pay the foreign miners'’ tax?Yes, sir.

The governor'’s very unhappy
about the situation.

I imagine so, sir.

Looks like we'’ve gotta do
something about it.

I want you to take some men
out there and have a showdown.Me, sir?

Is there any reason
why not, Lieutenant?

No, sir.

Lieutenant Bradshaw...

I chose you especially.

As I understand,
you'’ve been fraternizing
with these people.

"Fraternizing," sir?You know them.

You'’re friends
of the Rosseaus.In a way, sir.

Now, if you can get
that old man
to see the light,

the rest of those people
in that colony
would follow him like sheep.

What about Paul Martain?Aw, he'’s a hothead.

He doesn'’t have
the confidence of the people.
Forget him.

It'’s not quite
that easy, sir.

Lieutenant Bradshaw,

I have
the distinct impression
that you'’re trying

to avoid this duty.It'’s not that.

It'’s just that I feel
that these people have
a legitimate complaint, sir.

That tax is not fair.That'’s not for you
to decide, or me.

Well, I'’m not even sure
that the state has the right
to pass such a law.

It'’s up to Washington.Lieutenant Bradshaw,
you'’re a soldier,

and as such, it'’s up to you
to carry out the duty
that'’s given you,

regardless of
your personal opinion.

You do understand,
don'’t you, Lieutenant?

Yes, sir.

You will take the men
to the French settlement.

You will
convince those people
the taxes must be paid.

If you have trouble
convincing them,

or if they
show armed resistance,

you will order
your men to shoot.

Disobeyance of this order
on your part

will result
in your court-martial.

Is that clear, Lieutenant?

Yes, sir.

Carry on.Yes, sir.

[ taps shoes together ]

[ door opens, closes ]

[ horse whinnying in distance ]

[ whinnying ]

The soldiers--
they are coming.

And we are ready
for them.

Please do not do this.
Papa, I beg you!

They will dismantle
our houses and take
all our valuables.

What valuables?
Is anything we own

worth the price
of a man'’s life?That is enough, Monique.

You are a woman.
You do not understand
these things.

A woman understands war
even better than a man.

It is she
who loses her loved ones.

Do you speak of me, Monique,
or of Lieutenant Bradshaw?

BRADSHAW:
Victor Rosseau!

I'’ll go out and see
what they want.

I'’m coming with you.

No.
PAUL:
They will not fire on a woman.

Our friend
has lost no time

returning to help our cause.
[ scoffs ]

I know how this
must look to you, sir.

Believe me,
I was given a direct order
by my commanding officer.

If had I refused to obey it,
I'’d have had to face
a court-martial.

Of course!
You would prefer to fight
than be disgraced.

Now you know how we feel,
Lieutenant Bradshaw.

I'’m not here to fight you.

I'’m here once more
to try to persuade you
to obey the law.

VICTOR:
Backed up by your troops.

You can see we are
no match for you,
Lieutenant.

I disagree with you,
Monique.

We have many brave men
who are willing to fight
to defend our cause.

[ shouts in French ]

[ footsteps approaching ]

If it'’s a fight you want,

let us get on with it.

[ rifles cocking ]

Order... arms!

I said, "Order arms."

Stand aside.

Apparently you frighten
only yourself.

You really are itching
for a fight, aren'’t ya?

That'’s a shame,
though, to drag a lot
of innocent people into it.

[ no audible dialogue ]

What do you say that, uh,
we just settle this
between the two of us?

A duel?

A fist is just
as logical.

And at stakes will be
this whole tax issue.

If you beat me,
then you pay no miners'’ tax.

But if I come out on top,
then you pay the tax.

You make your appeal
through the proper channels.

Well?[ overlapping responses ]

[ chuckles ]
Very clever.
Very clever, indeed.

Only what guarantee do we have
that even if I win,
we will not have to pay?

You are but a lieutenant.
How can you speak
for your government?

Paul is right, Lieutenant.

You may agree to let us alone,
but tomorrow,

there will be other troops
and-- and other lieutenants.

All right.

Now, Colonel Fremont controls
the troop movements
in this area, as you know.

But now this situation
has become so desperate

that my government has decided
to appoint a special agent
to settle it.

I was their choice.

[ coughs ]

And you can take
my word for it.

There'’ll be no argument
with my decision.

There. You see, Papa?
It will all be fine.

Except... I have never met
a man who could beat Paul.

You still have not
met one, Monique.

I accept your proposal.

We will settle this
between the two of us.

[ grunting ]Paul, not the savate!

Papa, it is not fair.
Make him stop.

Lieutenant Bradshaw knows
nothing of the savate.

[ grunting continues ]What can I do?

[ whinnies ]

[ whinnying ]

It seems that Paul
has finally met his match.

[ grunts ]

[ grunts ]

[ gasps ]

This is not the way
a Frenchman fights
for his honor.

Well, a man in love
is not, uh, responsible.

VICTOR:
Lieutenant!

[ grunts ]

[ blows landing ]

[ grunts ]

[ cheering ]

[ Frenchmen exclaiming ]

[ chattering ]

[ sighs ]

Mount up.

Ah, you have won fairly,
Lieutenant.

We'’ll abide
by the agreement made.

Perhaps now I can fight
on your side, sir.

Thank you.
[ chuckles ]

A man in defeat
is a pitiful thing.

I thought sh--

I guess I just don'’t
understand the French here.

It'’s the same
with all women
the world over.

She and Paul
grew up together.

They were betrothed
before they ever left France.

He needs her.

She'’ll make
a good man of him.

Did you, uh,
come here to gloat?

No, I just came back
to say good-bye.

Good-bye, Lieutenant.

Forward ho!

And so the French
at Mokelumne Hill
paid the foreign miners'’ tax--

a tax which was imposed
by this law,

passed April 13, 1850.

But it was not for long.
The California legislature,

as a result of general protest,
repealed the foreign miners'’ tax

with this act,
passed March 14, 1851.

Bill Bradshaw was right.

This was a country of law,
and order, and equality.