All language subtitles for CD21776.1972.Directors.Cut.1080p.BluRay.X264-Japhson.ENG

Who would think of
independence married to her?

I feel an absolute fool.

That's good for you, John.

I tell you, Franklin,
it's positively indecent.

John, they're young
and they're in love.

Not them, Franklin. Us.

Standing down here,
waiting for them to, uh...

Well, what will people think?

Don't worry, John. The history
books will clean it up.

Well, it doesn't matter.

I'll not appear in the history
books anyway. Only you.

Franklin did this
and Franklin did that,

and Franklin did
some other damned thing.

Franklin smote the ground
and out sprang

George Washington,

fully grown and on his horse.

Franklin then electrified him
with his miraculous lightning rod

then the three of them, Franklin,
Washington and the horse,

conducted the entire
revolution all by themselves.

I like it.

I beg your pardon, gentlemen.

It is indeed an honor to meet the
two greatest men in America.

Certainly the greatest
within earshot anyway.

I'm not an idle flatterer,
Dr. Franklin.

My husband
admires you both greatly.

Then we are doubly flattered,

for we admire very much that
what your husband admires.

Uh, did you sleep well, madam?

Hmm?
Huh!

Oh. Uh...

Well, I mean, did you lie...

Damn it, you know what I mean.

Yes, John, we know
what you mean.

Tell us about yourself.
We've heard precious little.

What's your first name? Martha.

Martha!

He might at least
have told us that.

Your husband
doesn't say very much.

Most silent man in Congress.

I have never heard him utter
three sentences together.

Not every man's a talker, John.

Yes, it's true, you know.
Tom is not a talker.

Oh, he never speaks his passions

He never speaks his views

Whereas other men speak volumes

The man I love is mute

In truth I can't recall

Being wooed with words

At all

Even now

Oh, don't stop, madam.

No. Tell us,
how did he win you?

And how does he hold on
to a bounty such as you?

Well, surely you've noticed that Tom
is a man of many accomplishments.

Of course.

Author, lawyer, statesman,
architect, farmer.

And still one more that
I hesitate to mention.

Don't hesitate, madam.
Don't hesitate.

No, tell us. What else can
that redheaded tombstone do?

He plays the violin

He tucks it right under his chin

And he bows

Oh, he bows

For he knows Yes, he knows

That it's
hi-hi-hi-diddle diddle

'Twixt my heart,
Tom and his fiddle

My strings are unstrung

Hi-hi-hi

Hi

I am undone

The violin, madam?

I hear his violin

And I get that feeling within

And I sigh Oh, I sigh

He draws near, very near

And it's
hi-hi-hi-diddle diddle

And goodbye to the fiddle

My strings are unstrung

Hi-hi-hi

Hi

I'm always undone

That settles it, John.
We're taking up the violin.

Very well, madam. You have us playing
the violin. What happens next?

Next, Mr. Adams?

Yes. What does
Tom do now?

Why, just what you'd expect.

We dance.

Dance?

Dance? Incredible!

One, two, three.
One, two, three!

Who's playing the violin?

John, really?

John, you can dance.

We still do a few
things in Boston, Franklin.

Hi-hi-hi

Hi

When heaven calls to me

Sing me no sad elegy

Say I died

Loving bride

Loving wife, loving life

For it was
hi-hi-hi-diddle diddle

'Twixt my heart,
Tom and his fiddle

And ever 'twill be

Hi-hi-hi

Hi

Through eternity

He plays the violin

He plays the violin

Look! Look, Franklin,
he's done it. He's written it.

"Dear Mr. Adams, I am
taking my wife back to bed.

"Kindly go away. Your obedient, T.
Jefferson."

Incredible!

You know, perhaps
I should have written

the declaration after all.

At my age, there's little doubt

the pen is mightier
than the sword.

For it's
hi-hi-hi-diddle diddle

And God bless
a man who can fiddle

And independency

Hi-hi-hi
Hi-hi-hi

Hi Hi

Ya-da-da-da-da
Ya-da-da-da-da

Through eternity
Through eternity

He plays the violin
He plays the violin

Violin Violin

Violin Violin

Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia's absent,

and North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia.

And what follows is a
complete and up-to-date list

of all the committees
of this Congress,

now sitting, about to
sit or just having sat.

"A committee formed to investigate
a complaint made against

"the quality of yeast manufactured by Mr.
Henry Pendleton's mill

"designated as
the Yeast Committee."

"A committee formed to consider
the most effective method

"of dealing with spies

"designated as
the Spies Committee."

"A committee formed to
think, perhaps to do,

"but in any case, to gather,
to meet, to confer, to talk,

"and perhaps even to resolve
that each rifle regiment

"be allowed at least one drum and
one fire attached to each company,

"designated as the
Drum and Fife Committee."

"A committee formed to..."

Where is that committee?

What do you think of it,
Doctor? Democracy?

What Plato called

"a charming form of government

"full of variety
and disorder."

I never knew Plato had been
to Philadelphia.

Ben, I want you
to see some cards

I've gone and had printed up.

Ought to save everybody here
a lot of time and effort,

considering the epidemic
of bad disposition

that's been going
on around here lately

"Dear sir, you are, without
any doubt, a rogue, a rascal,

"a villain, a thief, a
scoundrel and a mean, dirty,

"stinking, sniveling, sneaking,
pimping, pocket-picking,

"thrice double-damned
no-good son-of-a-bitch."

And you sign your name.
What do you think?

I'll take a dozen right now.

A-ha! Here it is.

"A committee formed to answer all
congressional correspondence,

"designated as the Congressional
Correspondence Committee."

All right, Franklin, enough socializing.
There's work to be done.

Good morning, John.
What?

Good morning.

Oh. Good morning,
good morning.

Now then, let's get to it.
Get to what?

Unanimity, of course.
Look at that board.

Six nays to win over
in little more than a week.

"A committee formed to consider
the problem of counterfeit money

"designated as the Counterfeit
Money Committee."

Oh, God! What...

All right, John, all right.

Where shall we start?

Well, what about Delaware?

Sad thing to see them on the
wrong side after all this time.

Any news of Rodney?
Yes. McKean's back.

Thomas!

"A committee formed
to study the causes

"of our military
defeat in Canada."

Thomas,

how did you leave Caesar?
Is he still alive?

Aye, but the journey to Dover

was fearful hard on him.

He never complained,
but I could see

the poor man was
suffering terrible.

But you got him safely home.

I did,

but I doubt he'll ever
set foot out of it again.

That leaves you and Read split down
the middle. Will he come over?

I don't know. He's a
stubborn ignoramus.

Work on him. Keep after him
till you wear him down.

Look, John,
face facts, will you?

If it were just Read
standing in our way,

it wouldn't be so bad,

but look for yourself, man.

Maryland, Pennsylvania and the
entire South. It's impossible!

Well, it's impossible if we all
stand around complaining about it.

To work, McKean! One foot
in front of the other!

I believe I put it a better way.

Never leave off
until tomorrow...

Shut up, Franklin.

But what good will it do?

You know Dickinson.
He'll never give in.

And you haven't heard the
last of Rutledge either.

Never mind about them.
Your job is George Read.

Talk him deaf if you have to,

but bring us back Delaware.

There's a simpler way.

What?

This'll break the tie.

All right, John, who's next?

"A committee
formed to keep secrets

"designated as
the Secrets Committee."

Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Now, I suggest you try to get
your own house into order

and I'll take a crack
at old vacant-face.

Lord, look at him stuff himself.

Ah, Mr. Chase!

How about it, Chase? When are
you coming to your senses, man?

Please, Mr. Adams,
not while I'm eating.

Mr. Wilson, sir?

It's time to assert yourself.

Tell me something.
When you were a judge,

how in hell did you
ever make a decision?

The decisions I made were all
based on legality and precedence.

But there is no legality here

and certainly no precedent.

Because it's a
new idea, you clot!

We'll be setting
our own precedent!

No, Mr. McKean.
No, no, no!

Damn your eyes, Read!

You come into this
world screaming "no,"

and you're determined to leave
it the same way, you slimy worm!

The Congress is
waiting on you, Chase!

America is waiting!
The whole world is waiting!

What's that? Kidney?

Leave me alone,
Mr. Adams!

You're wasting your time.

If I thought we
could win this war,

I'd be at the front
of your ranks.

But you must know
it's impossible.

You've heard General
Washington's dispatches.

His army has fallen to pieces.

Washington is exaggerating
the situation

in order to arouse this
torpid Congress into action.

Why, as chairman of
the War Committee,

I can state for a fact

that the army has never
been in better shape.

Never have troops
been more cheerful.

Never have soldiers
been more resolute.

Never have training and
discipline been more spirited.

Oh, good God.

May we have
your ears, gentlemen?

Mr. Thomson
has a dispatch.

"From the Commander, army of the
United Colonies in New York,

"dispatch number 1, 157,

"to the Honorable Congress,
John Hancock, president.

"Dear sir, it is with the utmost
despair that I must report to you

"the disorder and confusion

"that reign in
every department."

Oh, sweet Jesus!

"The Continental soldier
is as nothing ever seen

"in this or any other century.

"He is a misfit,
ignorant of hygiene,

"destructive, disorderly

"and totally
disrespectful of rank.

"Only this last
is understandable,

"as there is an incredible reek of
stupidity amongst the officers.

"The situation is most desperate

"at the New Jersey training
ground in New Brunswick

"where every able-bodied
whore in the..."

Whore?

"In the colonies has assembled.

"There are constant
reports of drunkenness,

"desertion, foul language,

"naked bathing in
the Raritan River,

"and an epidemic

"of the French disease."

"I have placed this town off-limits
to all military personnel

"with the exception of officers.

"I beseech the Congress to dispatch
the War Committee to this place

"in the hope of restoring

"some of the order and
discipline we need to survive.

"Your obedient,

"G. Washington."

That man would depress a hyena.

Well, Mr. Adams, you're
chairman of the War Committee.

Do you feel up to whoring,

drinking, deserting
and New Brunswick?

There must be some mistake.

I have an aunt who lives
in New Brunswick.

You must tell her to
keep up the good work.

Come, come, Mr. Adams.

You must see that it's hopeless.

Let us recall General Washington

and disband the Continental Army

before we're overwhelmed.

Yes, indeed. The English would
like that, now, wouldn't they?

Why not ask them yourself?

They ought to be
here any minute.

And when they
hang you, Mr. Adams,

I hope you will put in a good
word for the rest of us.

Face facts,
Mr. Adams.

A handful of drunk
and disorderly recruits

against the entire British Army,

the finest musket men on Earth.

How can we win?

How can we even hope to survive?

Answer me straight, Chase.

If you thought we
could beat the Redcoats,

would Maryland say
yea to independence?

Well, I suppose...

No supposing.

Would you or wouldn't you?

Very well,
Mr. Adams.

Yes, we would.

Then come with me
to New Brunswick

and see for yourself.

John, are you mad?

You heard what Washington said.
It's a shambles.

They're pushing
you into it, Johnny!

What do you say, Chase?

Go ahead, Sam. It sounds
lively as hell up there.

All right.
Why not?

And maybe it'll be John Adams

who comes to his senses.

Mr. President,
the War Committee

will heed General
Washington's request.

A party consisting of
Mr. Chase, Dr. Franklin

and myself will
leave immediately.

Is that...

Is that satisfactory
with you, Dr. Franklin?

Wake up, Franklin! You're
going to New Brunswick.

Like hell I am.
What for?

The whoring and the drinking.

All right, Chase! Move all that lard.
Not a moment to lose.

Left, right, left, right.
Left, right, left, right.

Left, right, left!

Mr. McNair, all this
talk of independence

has left a certain
foulness in the air.

My friends and I
would appreciate it

if you could open some windows.

Well, what about the flies?

The windows,
Mr. McNair.

Open the windows,
close the windows.

Sweet Jesus!

Oh, say, do you see what I see?

Congress sitting
here in sweet serenity

I could cheer,
the reason's clear

For the first time in a year

Adams isn't here

And look, the sun is in the sky

A breeze is blowing by

And there's not a single fly

I sing hosanna

Hosanna

Hosanna, hosanna

And it's cool

Come, ye cool,
cool, conservative men

Our like may never
ever be seen again

We have land, cash in hand

Self-command,
future planned

Fortune thrives,
society survives

In neatly ordered lives

With well-endowered wives

Come sing hosanna

Hosanna

In our breeding and our manner

We are cool

Come, ye cool,
cool, considerate set

We'll dance together
to the same minuet

To the right, ever to the right

Never to the left,
forever to the right

Let our creed be never to exceed

Regulated speed

No matter what the need

Come sing hosanna

Hosanna

Emblazoned on our banner

ls keep cool

To the right, ever to the right

Never to the left,
forever to the right

Hands attach, tightly latch

Everybody match

I have a new dispatch

"From the Commander, army of the
United Colonies in New York,

"dispatch number 1, 158,

"to the Honorable Congress,
John Hancock, president.

"Dear sir, I awoke this morning
to find that General Howe

"has landed 25,000 British
regulars and Hessian mercenaries

"on Staten Island,

"and that the fleet,
under the command

"of his brother,
Admiral Lord Howe,

"controls not only the
Hudson and the east rivers,

"but New York Harbor,

"which now looks like
all of London afloat.

"I can no longer,
in good conscience,

"withhold from the
Congress my certainty

"that the British
military object

"at this time is Philadelphia.

"Happy should I be if I could see
the means of preventing them,

"but, at present,
I confess I do not.

"How I wish I had never
seen the Continental Army.

"I would have done better to
retire to the back country,

"and to live in a wigwam.

"Your obedient,

"G. Washington."

What we do, we do rationally

We never, ever go
off half-cocked, not we

Why begin till we
know that we can win

And if we cannot win,
why bother to begin?

We say this game's
not of our choosing

Why should we risk losing?

We're cool, cool men

Mr. Hancock,

you're a man of
property, one of us.

Why don't you join
us in our minuet?

Why do you persist in
dancing with John Adams?

Good Lord, sir, you
don't even like him.

That is true.
He annoys me quite a lot

But still I'd rather trot
to Mr. Adams' new gavotte

Why? For personal glory?
For a place in history?

Be careful, sir. History will brand
him and his followers as traitors.

Traitors, Mr. Dickinson?
To what?

The British Crown or
the British half crown?

Fortunately, there are
not enough men of property

in America to dictate policy.

Perhaps not, but don't forget
that most men with nothing

would rather protect the
possibility of becoming rich

than face the reality
of being poor.

And that is why
they will follow us...

To the right, ever to the right

Never to left,
forever to the right

Where there's gold,
a market to behold

Tradition that is old

Reluctant to be bold

I sing hosanna

Hosanna

In a sane and lucid manner

We are cool!

We're the cool,
cool, considerate men

Whose like may never,
ever be seen again

We've got land, cash in hand

Self-command, future planned

And we'll hold to our gold

Tradition that is old

Reluctant to be bold

We say this game's
not of our choosing

Why should we risk losing?

We're cool

Cool

Cool, cool men

How'd you like to try and borrow

a dollar from one of them?

You want some more rum, General?

General?

Lord, I ain't even a corporal.

Yeah, well, what's
the army know?

Here, son.
There you go.

Sit down, gentlemen. The chair
rules it's too damn hot to work.

Well, General, what's
it like out there?

You probably know more than me.

Sitting here?

Sweet Jesus, this
is the last place

to find out what's going on.

I'm aiming to join up.

What are you talking about?

You don't have to join up.

You're in Congress.

What's that got to do with it?

Well, you don't see them rushing
off to get killed, do you?

They sure are great ones for sending
others, I can tell you that.

Hey, who sits here?

Caesar Rodney of Delaware.

Where are you from, General?

Watertown.

Now where's that?

Massachusetts.

Well, then you
belong over there.

But be careful.

There's something
about that chair

that makes a man awful noisy.

You seen any fighting?

Sure did.

I see's my two best friends get
shot dead on the very same day.

And at Lexington it was, too.

Right on the village green.

When they didn't
come home for supper,

their mamas went down the
hill looking for them.

Mrs. Lowell,
she found Timothy.

Right off.

But Mrs. Pickett...

She looked near half
the night for William.

He went and crawled
off the green

before he died.

Mama, hey, Mama

Come looking for me

I'm here in the meadow

By the red maple tree

Mama, hey, Mama

Look sharp

Here I be

Hey, hey

Mama, look sharp

Them soldiers, they fired

Oh, Ma, did we run

But then we turned round

And the battle begun

Then I went under

Oh, Ma, am I done?

Hey, hey

Mama, look sharp

My eyes are wide open

My face to the sky

Is that you I'm hearing

In the tall grass nearby

Mama, come find me

Before I do die

Hey, hey

Mama

Look sharp

I'll close your eyes

My Billy

Them eyes that cannot see

And I'll bury you

My Billy

Beneath the maple tree

And

Never again

Will you whisper to me

Hey

Oh, Mama

Look sharp

The secretary
will now read the report

of the Declaration Committee.

Mr. Thomson.

"A declaration by
the representatives

"of the United
States of America,

"in general Congress assembled.

"When in the course
of human events

"it becomes necessary
for one people

"to dissolve the political bands

"which have connected
them with another

"and to assume among
the powers of the Earth

"the separate and equal station

"to which the laws of nature

"and of nature's
god entitle them,

"a decent respect to the
opinions of mankind

"requires that they
should declare the causes

"which impel them
to the separation.

"We hold these
truths to be self-evident,

"that all men are created equal.

"They're endowed
by their creator

"with certain
inalienable rights,

"that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness,

"that to secure
these rights..."

Jefferson! We're back,
and we've got Maryland.

That is, we will,
as soon as Chase

gets through telling
the Maryland assembly

what we saw in New Brunswick.

He's in Annapolis right now,

describing a ragtag collection

of provincial militiamen

who couldn't drill
together, train together

or march together.

But when a flock
of ducks flew over

and they saw their first
meal in three full days,

sweet Jesus, could
they shoot together!

It was a slaughter.

A slaughter.

They're reading the declaration.

Good God! How far
have they gotten?

"To render the military
independent of

"and superior to
the civil power."

"independent of
and superior to..."

Nothing to fear.

It's a masterpiece.

I'm to be congratulated.

You?

For making him write it.

Oh, of course.

It's a masterpiece, I say

They will cheer
every word, every letter

I wish I felt that way

I believe I can put it better

Now then attend
as friend to friend

Our Declaration Committee

For us I see immortality

In Philadelphia City

A farmer, a lawyer

And a sage

A bit gouty in the leg

You know, it's quite bizarre

To think that here we are

Playing midwives to an egg

Egg? What egg?

America. The birth
of a new nation.

If only we could be sure

of what kind of
a bird it's going to be.

Tom has a point. What sort
of bird shall we choose

as the symbol of
our new America?

The eagle.

The dove.

The turkey.

The eagle.

The dove.
The eagle!

The eagle.
The turkey.

The eagle is a majestic bird.

The eagle is a scavenger,

a thief and a coward.

A symbol of over 10 centuries

of European mischief.

A turkey?

The turkey is
a truly noble bird.

Native American. Source of
sustenance of our original settlers.

An incredibly brave
fellow who will not flinch

at attacking a regiment
of Englishmen

single-handedly!

Therefore, the national bird
of America is going to be...

The eagle!

We're waiting for
the chirp, chirp, chirp

Of an eaglet being born

Waiting for the chirp,
chirp, chirp

On this humid Monday morning

In this congressional incubator

God knows the
temperature's hot enough

To hatch a stone,
let alone an egg

We're waiting for the
scratch, scratch, scratch

Of that tiny little fellow

Waiting for the egg to hatch

On this humid Monday morning

In this congressional incubator

God knows the
temperature's hot enough

To hatch a stone

But will it hatch an egg?

The declaration will be a triumph.
I tell you, a triumph.

If I was ever sure of
anything, I'm sure of that.

A triumph.

And if it isn't,

we've still got four days left

to think of something else.

The eagle's going
to crack the shell

Of the egg that England laid

Yes, sir, we can
tell, tell, tell

On this humid Monday morning

In this congressional incubator

And just as Tom here has written

Though the shell may
belong to Great Britain

The eagle inside belongs to us

And just as Tom here has written

We say, "To hell
with Great Britain"

The eagle inside belongs to us

"and to do all
other acts and things

"which independent
states may of right do.

"And for the support
of this declaration,

"we mutually pledge to
each other our lives,

"our fortunes and
our sacred honor."

Thank you, Mr. Thomson.

The Congress has
heard the report

of the Declaration Committee.

Are there any here who
wish to offer alterations,

deletions, amendments
to this declaration?

Mr. President!

Gentlemen!

Gentlemen, please!

Colonel McKean,
I saw your hand first.

Mr. Jefferson,

it's a funny paper you've written,
Tom, but somewhere in it,

you mention Scottish and foreign
mercenaries sent to destroy us.

Scottish, Tom?

That is in reference
to a Highland regiment

which stood against
us at Boston.

It's more likely
Germans wearing kilts

to disguise their being there.

I ask you to remove the word

and avoid giving offense
to a good people.

Mr. Jefferson?

The Reverend...

Witherspoon.

Mr. Jefferson,
nowhere do you mention

the Supreme Being.

Now, surely this
was an oversight,

for how could we hope to achieve
a victory without His help?

Therefore, I most humbly
suggest the following addition

to your final sentence.

"With a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine Providence."

Mr. Jefferson?

Mr. Read.

Among your charges against the king, Mr.
Jefferson,

you accuse him of depriving us

of the benefits
of trial by jury.

This is untrue, sir.

In Delaware, we've
always had trial by jury.

In Massachusetts, we have not.

Well, then I suggest
that the words

"in many cases" be added.

Mr. Jefferson?

"In many cases"?
Brilliant!

I suppose every time
you see those three words,

your puny chest
will swell with pride

over your great
historical contribution.

It's more memorable

than your unprincipled whitewash

of that race of barbarians!

Race of barbarians?

Why, I'll have you...

Colonel McKean,
Mr. Read, that's enough!

Mr. Hopkins. I've no
objections, Johnny.

I'm just trying to get a drink.

I should've known.
McNair, get him a rum.

Mr. Bartlett.

Mr. Jefferson.

I beg you to remember that we
still have friends in England.

I see no purpose in antagonizing
them with such phrases as...

"Unfeeling brethren"
and "enemies at war."

Our quarrel is with the British
king, not the British people.

Be sensible, Bartlett.

Remove those phrases,

and the entire paragraph
becomes meaningless.

And it so happens that it's one
of the most stirring and poetic

of any passage in the
entire document. Now...

We're a Congress, Mr. Adams,
not a literary society.

I ask that the entire
paragraph be stricken.

Mr. Jefferson?

Good God.

Jefferson, when are you going
to speak up for your own work?

I had hoped that the work
would speak for itself.

Mr. Hancock?

What is it,
Mr. McNair?

I can't say I'm very fond of

"The United States of America"

as a name for a new country.

I don't care what you're fond of, Mr.
McNair.

You're not a member
of this Congress!

Mr. Sherman.

Brother Jefferson,
I noted at least

two distinct and
direct references

to the British Parliament
in your declaration.

Do you think it's wise to
alienate that august body

in light of our contention

that they've never had any
authority over us anyway?

This is a revolution, damn it!

We're going to have
to offend somebody.

Brother Hancock!

John. John.

You'll give yourself an attack of
apoplexy if you're not careful.

Have you heard what
they're doing to it?

Have you heard?
I heard.

And, so far, that's
just our friends.

Can you imagine what
our enemies will do?

The word "parliament" will
be removed wherever it occurs.

They won't be satisfied
till they remove

one of the "F's"
from Jefferson's name.

Courage, John. It won't
last much longer.

Mr. Dickinson.

Mr. Jefferson,

I have very little
interest in your paper,

as there's no doubt in my mind

that we've all but
heard the last of it.

But I am curious
about one thing.

Why do you refer to King
George as a tyrant?

Because he is a tyrant.

I remind you,
Mr. Jefferson,

that this tyrant
is still your king.

When a king becomes a tyrant,

he thereby breaks the contract

binding his subjects to him.

How so?

By taking away their rights.

Rights that came from
him in the first place?

All except one.

The right to be free
comes from nature.

And are we not free,
Mr. Jefferson?

Homes entered without warrant.

Citizens arrested
without charge.

And in many places,

free assembly itself denied.

No one approves of such things,

but these are dangerous times.

Be careful,
Mr. Dickinson.

Those who give up
some of their liberty

in order to obtain a
little temporary safety,

deserve neither
liberty nor safety.

Mr. Wilson.

Do we in Pennsylvania

consider King George a tyrant?

Well, I don't know.

He...

Oh. Uh...

No. No, we don't.

He's not a tyrant.

In Pennsylvania.

There you are,
Mr. Jefferson.

Your declaration does
not speak for us all.

I demand the word
"tyrant" be removed.

Very well.

Just a moment,
Mr. Thomson.

I do not consent.

The king is a tyrant

whether we say so or not.

We might as well say so.

But I already scratched it out.

Then scratch it back in.

Put it back, Mr. Thomson.

The king will remain a tyrant.

Mr. Hewes.

Mr. Jefferson.

Nowhere do you mention
deep-sea fishing rights.

Oh, good God!
Fishing rights!

How long is this
piddling to go on?

We have been here
for three full days.

We have endured, by my count,

85 separate changes,

and the removal of
close to 400 words.

Now, would you whip it and beat
it till you break its spirit?

I tell you that document

is a masterful expression

of the American mind!

If there are no more changes,

then I can assume the report of the
Declaration Committee has been...

Just a moment,
Mr. President.

Look out.

I wonder if we might prevail
upon Mr. Thomson

to read again a small portion of Mr.
Jefferson's declaration.

The one beginning
"He has waged cruel war."

"He has affected...
He's combined...

"He's abdicated...
He's plundered...

"He's constrained... He's excited...
He's incited...

"He's waged cruel war."
Here it is.

"He's waged cruel war
against human nature itself

"in the persons of a distant
people who never offended him,

"captivating and carrying them

"into slavery in
another hemisphere,

"Determined to
keep open a market

"where men should
be bought and sold,

"he has prostituted his..."

That will suffice,
Mr. Thomson.

I thank you, sir.

Mr. Jefferson,

I can't quite make out what
it is you're talking about.

Slavery, Mr. Rutledge.

Oh, yes.

You're referring to us
as slaves of the king.

No, sir. I'm referring
to our slaves.

Black slaves.

Why didn't you say so, sir?

Were you trying to
hide your meaning?

No, sir.

Just another
literary license, then.

If you like.

I don't like at all,
Mr. Jefferson.

To us, in South Carolina,

black slavery is
our peculiar institution,

and a cherished way of life.

Nevertheless,
we must abolish it.

Nothing is more certainly
written in the book of fate

than that these
people shall be free.

I am not concerned with the book
of fate right now, Mr. Jefferson.

I'm more concerned with what is
written in that little paper there.

That little paper there

deals with freedom
for Americans.

Oh, really?

Mr. Adams

is now calling our
black slaves "Americans."

Are they, now?

Yes, they are.

They're people and they're here.

If there's any other requirement,
I've never heard of it.

They are here, yes, but they are not
people, sir. They are property.

No, sir.
They are people

who are being
treated as property.

I tell you, the rights
of human nature

are deeply wounded

by this infamous practice.

Then see to your own wounds, Mr.
Jefferson,

for you are a practitioner!

Are you not?

I have already resolved

to release my slaves.

Then I'm sorry,

for you've also resolved

the ruination of
your personal economy.

Economy.
Always economy.

There's more to this than a
filthy purse string, Rutledge.

It's an offense
against man and God.

It's a stinking business, Mr.
Rutledge.

A stinking business.

Is it really,
Mr. Hopkins?

Then what is that I smell

floating down from the North?

Could that be
the aroma of hypocrisy?

For who holds the other end of that
filthy purse string, Mr. Adams?

Our Northern brethren

feeling a bit tender
toward our slaves.

They don't keep slaves.

Oh, no.

But they're willing to
be considerable carriers

of slaves to others.

They're willing.

For the shilling.

Or haven't you heard,
Mr. Adams?

Clink, clink.

Molasses to rum

To slaves

Oh, what a beautiful waltz

You dance with us

We dance with you

In molasses and rum

And slaves

Who sail the ships out of Boston

Ladened with Bibles and rum?

Who drinks a toast
to the Ivory Coast?

Hail Africa,
the slavers have come

New England with Bibles

And rum

And it's off with
the rum and the Bibles

Take on the slaves, clink, clink

Then hail and
farewell to the smell

Of the African coast

Molasses to rum

To slaves

'T isn't morals,
'its money that saves

Shall we dance to the sound

Of the profitable pound?

In molasses and rum

And slaves

Who sail the ships out of Guinea

Ladened with Bibles and slaves?

'Ti's Boston can boast
to the West Indies coast

Jamaica, we brung what ye craves

Antigua, Barbados

We brung Bibles

And slaves

Gentlemen, you mustn't think
that our Northern friends

see our black slaves as
merely figures in a ledger.

Oh, no.

They see them as
figures on a block.

Look at the faces at
the auctions, gentlemen.

White faces on African wharves.

Seafaring faces.

New England faces.

"Put them in the ships."

"Cram them in the ships."

"Stuff them in the ships."

Hurry, gentlemen.
Let the auction begin.

Ya-ha, ya-ha-ma-cundah

Gentlemen, do you hear? That's
the cry of the auctioneer.

Ya-ha, ya-ha-ma-cundah

Slaves, gentlemen!

Black gold!

Living gold!

Gold from Angola!

Guinea, Guinea, Guinea!

Blackbirds for sale

Ashanti, Ibo, Ibo, Ibo!

Blackbirds for sale

Handle them!

Fondle them!

But don't finger them!

They're prime

Ya-ha, ya-ha-ma-cundah

For the love of God,
Mr. Rutledge, please.

Molasses to rum

To slaves

Who sail the ships
back to Boston

Ladened with gold

See it gleam

Whose fortunes are made
in the triangle trade

Hail slavery,
the New England dream

Mr. Adams,
I give you a toast

Hail, Boston

Hail, Charleston

Who stinketh the most?

Mr. Rutledge,
please!

Mr. Hewes.

Dr. Hall.

Don't worry, John.
They'll be back.

Aye, to vote us down.

Adams! Franklin!

It's done. I have it.

And the Maryland
Assembly's approved it.

I told them about
one of the greatest

military engagements in history

against a flock of...

What's wrong?

I thought...

You'll have to forgive them, Mr.
Chase.

They just suffered
a slight setback.

And after all,
"What is a man profited

"if he shall gain Maryland
and lose the entire South?"

Matthew, Chapter 16, Verse 26.

McNair.

Oh, I know.
The flies.

No.

The rum.

Well, what are we
all sitting around for, hmm?

We're wasting time.
Precious time.

Thomas, I want you
to ride down into Delaware

and fetch back Caesar Rodney.

John, are you mad? It's 80
miles, and he's a dying man.

No, he's a patriot.

John, what good will it do?
The South's done us in.

And suppose they
change their minds?

Can we get Delaware
without Rodney?

God! What a bastardy
bunch we are.

Stephen, I want you to...

I'm going to the tavern, Johnny.

If there's anything I can do
for you there, let me know.

Chase.

Bartlett!

What's the use, John? The
vote's tomorrow morning.

There's less than
a full day left.

Roger.

Face facts, John.
It's finished.

I'm sorry, John.

We have no choice, John.

The slavery clause
has got to go.

Franklin, what are you saying?

It's a luxury we can't afford.

A luxury?

A half million souls in chains,

and Dr. Franklin
calls it a luxury.

Maybe you should've
walked out with the South.

You forget yourself, sir.

I founded the first anti-slavery
society on this continent.

Don't wave
your credentials at me.

Perhaps it's time
you had them renewed.

The issue here is independence.

Perhaps you've forgotten
that fact, but I have not.

How dare you
jeopardize our cause

when we've come so far!

These men,

no matter how much
we may disagree with them,

are not ribbon clerks
to be ordered about.

They're proud, accomplished men.
The cream of their colonies.

And whether you like it or not,

they and the people
they represent

will be part of this new
nation you hope to create.

Now either learn how to live with
them or pack up and go home.

In any case, stop acting
like a Boston fishwife.

Good God.
What's happened to me?

John Adams.
The great John Adams.

What have I come to?

Law practice down the pipe.

Farm mortgaged to the hilt.

At a stage in life
when other men prosper,

I'm reduced to
living in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia.

Abigail, what am I going to do?

Do, John?

I need your help.

You don't usually ask my advice.

Yes, well, there doesn't appear
to be anyone else right now.

Very well, John.
What is it?

The entire South has just
walked out of this Congress,

George Washington is on the
verge of total annihilation,

and the precious cause for which I
have labored these several years

has come to nothing.

And it seems that I'm
obnoxious and disliked.

Nonsense, John.

That I am unwilling
to face reality.

Foolishness, John.

That I'm pigheaded.

Ah, well, there you
have me, John.

I'm afraid you are pigheaded.

Well, yes.

Oh, Abby.

Has it been any kind
of a life for you?

God knows I haven't
given you very much.

I never asked for more.

After all,
I am Mrs. John Adams.

That's quite a lot
for one lifetime.

Is it, Abby?

Well, think of it, John.
To be married to the man

who is always the first
in line to be hanged...

Yes. The agitator.

Why, Abby?

You must tell me
what it is. l...

Well, I have always been dissatisfied.
I know that.

But lately, I find that I
reek of discontentment.

It fills my throat
and it floods my brain.

Sometimes I fear there
is no longer a dream,

but only the discontentment.

Oh, John.

Can you really know
so little about yourself?

Can you think so little of me

that you'd believe I'd marry
the man you've described?

Have you forgotten what you
used to say to me? I haven't.

"Commitment, Abby.

"Commitment.

"There are only two creatures of
value on the face of this Earth.

"Those with a commitment,

"and those who require
the commitment of others."

Do you remember, John?

Yes, I remember.

McNAIR: Mr. Adams!

Mmm.

Are you up there,
Mr. Adams?

What do you want?

There's a delivery
down here for you.

What is it?

Where did it come from?
Who sent it?

Compliments of the Concord
Ladies' Coffee Club

And the Sisterhood
of the Truro Synagogue

And the Friday Evening
Baptist Sewing Circle

And the Holy Christian
Sisters of St. Claire

All for you

John

I am as I ever was

And ever shall be

Yours, yours, yours

Yours

Abigail, what's in these kegs?

Saltpeter, John

McNair!

McNair, go out and buy every damned
pin you can find in Philadelphia.

Pin?
What sort of pin?

Well, I don't know. Whatever the
ladies use for their sewing.

Franklin, Jefferson, what are
you all sitting around for?

Didn't you hear
a word I said before?

Oh, never mind about that.

Now, here's what
I want you to do.

John, I'm not even
speaking to you.

It's too late for that, damn it.
There's work to be done.

Jefferson, go find Rutledge.

Don't come back until
you've worn him down.

Now, you're both
Southern aristocrats.

If he'll listen to anybody,
he'll listen to you.

Franklin, out of that chair!

What good is the South if you
can't deliver Pennsylvania, hmm?

Talk to Wilson.

Get him away from Dickinson.

That's the only way to do it.
Go on, now, both of you.

John...

Time's running out, damn it.

Now move.

I'm still
from Massachusetts, John.

You know where I stand.

I'll do whatever you say.

No.

No, you're the president
of Congress.

You're a fair man, Hancock.
Stay that way.

Tell me, Mr. Thomson,
out of curiosity,

do you stand with Mr. Dickinson,
or do you stand with me?

I stand with the General.

Well, lately, I've had the
oddest feeling that he's been

writing to me.

I have been in expectation

Of receiving a reply

On the subject of
my last 15 dispatches

ls anybody there?

Does anybody care?

Does anybody care?

"Your humble
and obedient..."

"ls anybody there?

"Does anybody care?"

Does anybody see what I see?

They want me to quit

They say,
"John, give up the fight"

Still to England, I say

Good night, forever, good night!

For I have crossed the Rubicon

Let the bridge
be burned behind me

Come what may

Commitment!

The croakers all say
we'll rue the day

There'll be hell to pay
in fiery purgatory

Through all the gloom,
through all the gloom

I can see the rays
of ravishing light

And glory

ls anybody there?

Does anybody care?

Does anybody see what I see?

I see fireworks

I see the pageant
and pomp and parade

I hear the bells ringing out

I hear the cannons roar

I see Americans

All Americans free

Forevermore

How quiet,
how quiet the chamber is

How silent,
how silent the chamber is

ls anybody there?

Does anybody care?

Does anybody see what I see?

Yes, Mr. Adams.

I do.

Dr. Hall.

I didn't know anyone was...

I'm sorry if I startled you.

I couldn't sleep.

And in trying
to resolve my dilemma,

I remembered something
I'd once read.

That a representative owes the
people not only his industry,

but his judgment.

And he betrays them if he
sacrifices it to their opinion.

That was written
by Edmund Burke,

a member of
the British Parliament.

Good night,
Mr. Adams.

Good night.

It's never been done before.

No colony has ever broken from the
parent stem in the history of the world.

If you have grievances,
and I'm sure you have,

our present system must provide

a gentler means
of redressing them

short of revolution.

We've spawned a new race here.

Rougher, simpler,

more violent, more
enterprising, less refined.

"My quartermaster has
no food, no arms, no ammunition,

"and my troops are in
a state of near mutiny."

No army, no navy... THOMSON:
"I pray God some relief arrives

"before the armada,
but fear it will not."

No arms, no ammunition,

no treasury, no friends.

And when
they hang you, Mr. Adams,

I do hope you'll put in a
good word for the rest of us.

England closing in,
cutting off our air.

There's no time!

To place before mankind
the common sense of the subject...

The issue here is independence.

Perhaps you've lost sight of
that fact, but I have not.

"We mutually pledge
to each other our lives

"our fortunes
and our sacred honor."

Can you really know
so little about yourself?

Very well.

The Congress will now vote on
Virginia's resolution on independence.

Thank you for coming, Caesar.

God bless you, sir.

The secretary
will call the roll.

And I remind you, gentlemen,

that a single "nay" vote

will defeat the motion.

Mr. Thomson.

New Hampshire?

New Hampshire says yea.

New Hampshire says yea.
Massachusetts?

Massachusetts says yea.

Massachusetts says yea.
Rhode Island?

Rhode Island says yea.

Rhode Island says yea.
Connecticut?

Connecticut says yea.

Connecticut says yea. New York?

Mr. Secretary, New York
abstains courteously.

New York abstains.

Courteously.

New Jersey?

New Jersey says yea.

New Jersey says yea.
Pennsylvania?

Mr. Secretary,
Pennsylvania is not ready.

Please come back to us later.

Pennsylvania passes.
Delaware?

Just a moment.

Delaware, by majority vote...

Aye.

Says yea.

Delaware says yea.
Maryland?

Maryland says yea.

Maryland says yea.
Virginia?

Virginia says yea.

Virginia says yea.
North Carolina?

North Carolina yields
to South Carolina.

South Carolina?

Well,
Mr. Adams?

Well,
Mr. Rutledge.

Mr. Adams,

you must believe that I will
do what I promised to do.

What is it you want, Rutledge?

Remove the offending passage
from your declaration.

If we did that,
we would be guilty

of what we ourselves
are rebelling against.

Nevertheless remove it,

or South Carolina
will bury now and forever

your dream of independence.

John, I beg you, consider
what you're doing.

Mark me, Franklin,

if we give in on this issue,

posterity will never forgive us.

That's probably true,
but we won't hear a thing.

We'll be long gone.

Besides, what will posterity
think we were? Demigods?

We're men, no more, no less,

trying to get a nation
started against greater odds

than a more generous God
would have allowed.

First things first, John.
Independence. America.

If we don't secure that,

what difference
will the rest make?

Jefferson, say something.

What else is there to do?

Well, man, you're the
one that wrote it.

I wrote all of it,
Mr. Adams.

There.

There it is, Rutledge. You have your
slavery. Little good may it do you.

You now vote, damn you!

Mr. President, the fair
colony of South Carolina

says yea.

South Carolina says yea.

North Carolina says yea.

Georgia?

Georgia says yea.

Pennsylvania, second call.

Mr. President,

Pennsylvania regrets
all of the inconvenience

that such distinguished men as
Adams, Franklin and Jefferson

were put to just now.

They might've kept
their document intact

for all the difference
it will make.

Mr. President,

Pennsylvania says...

Just a moment.

I ask the delegation
to be polled.

Dr. Franklin,
don't be absurd.

A poll, Mr. President.
It's a proper request.

Yes, it is.

Poll the delegation,
Mr. Thomson.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin.

Yea.

Mr. John Dickinson.

Nay.

Mr. James Wilson.

Judge Wilson?

There it is, Mr. Wilson.
It's all up to you now.

The whole question
of American independence

rests squarely
on your shoulders.

An entirely new nation ready
to be born or to die at birth,

all on
your say-so.

Which will it be,
Mr. Wilson?

Every mapmaker in the world
is waiting for your decision.

Come now, James.
Nothing has changed.

We mustn't let Dr. Franklin
create one of his confusions.

The question is clear.

Most questions are clear when
someone else has to decide them.

It would be a pity for a man

who's handed down
hundreds of wise decisions

from the bench

to be remembered only
for the one unwise decision

he made in Congress.

James, you're keeping
everybody waiting.

The secretary has
called for your vote.

Please.

Don't push me, John. I know
what you want me to do.

But Mr. Adams is correct
about one thing.

I'm the one who'll
be remembered for it.

What do you mean?

I'm different from you, John.

I'm different from
most of the men here.

I don't want to be remembered.

I just don't want the

responsibility.

Yes, well, whether you
want it or not, James,

there's no way of avoiding it.

Not necessarily, John.

If I go with them,

I'll just be one among dozens.

No one will ever remember
the name of James Wilson.

But if I vote with you,

I'll be the man who prevented
American independence.

I'm sorry, John.

I just didn't bargain for that.

And is that how new
nations are formed?

By a nonentity
trying to preserve

the anonymity he
so richly deserves?

Revolutions come into this world

like bastard children,
Mr. Dickinson.

Half improvised
and half compromised.

Our side has provided
the compromise.

Now Judge Wilson is
supplying the rest.

James.

I'm sorry, John.

My vote

Mr. Secretary,
Pennsylvania says yea.

The count being 12 to none

with one abstention,

the resolution on independence

is adopted.

It's done.

Mr. Thomson,

is the declaration
ready to be signed?

It is.

Then I suggest we do so.

And the chair further proposes,

for our mutual security
and protection,

that no man be allowed
to sit in this Congress

without attaching
his name to it.

I'm sorry, Mr. President.

I cannot, in good conscience,
sign such a document.

I will never stop hoping for our
eventual reconciliation with England.

But because,

I regard America no less
than does Mr. Adams,

I will join the army
and fight in her defense

even though I believe
that fight to be hopeless.

Goodbye, gentlemen.

Gentlemen of the Congress,

I say yea, John Dickinson.

Very well.

Are there any objections
to the declaration

being approved as it now stands?

I have one, Mr. Hancock.

You, Mr. Adams?

Yes. Uh, Mr. Jefferson,

it so happens that
the word is "unalienable,"

not "inalienable."

I'm sorry, Mr. Adams, but
"inalienable" is correct.

I happen to be a Harvard graduate, Mr.
Jefferson.

I attended William
and Mary, Mr. Adams.

Gentlemen, please!

Mr. Jefferson, will you yield to Mr.
Adams' request?

No, sir. I will not.

Oh, very well. I withdraw it.

Oh, good for you, John.

I'll speak to the printer
about it later on.

Very well, gentlemen.

We're about to brave the storm
in a skiff made of paper.

And how it shall end,

God only knows.

That's a pretty
large signature, Johnny.

So Fat George in London can
read it without his glasses.

All right, step right
up, gentlemen.

Don't miss your chance
to commit treason.

Ooh.

Hancock is right. This paper is
our passport to the gallows.

But there's no backing out now,

for if we do not hang together,

we shall most assuredly
hang separately.

In my case, hanging
won't be so bad.

One snap and it'll be all
over, just like that.

But look at Read there.

He'll be dancing a jig
long after I'm gone!

Gentlemen, forgive me if I
don't join in the merriment,

but if we are arrested now,

my name is still the only
one on the damn thing!

"From the Commander, army of
the United Colonies in..."

Army of the United
States in New York,

"dispatch number 1,209,

"to the Honorable Congress,
John Hancock, president.

"Dear sir, I can now report
with some certainty

"that the eve of battle
is near at hand.

"Toward this end, I have ordered
the evacuation of Manhattan

"and directed our
defenses to take up

"stronger positions on
the Brooklyn Heights.

"At the present time,
my forces consist

"entirely of
Haslet's Delaware Militia

"and Smallwood's Marylanders,

"a total of 5,000 troops
to stand against

"twenty-five thousand
of the enemy.

"And I begin to notice
that many of us

"are lads under 15 and old men,

"none of whom could truly
be called soldiers.

"One personal note to Mr.
Lewis Morris of New York.

"I must regretfully report

"that his estates have
been totally destroyed,

"but that I have taken the liberty
of transporting Mrs. Morris

"and eight of the children
to Connecticut and safety.

"The four older boys are now
enlisted in the Continental Army.

"As I write these words,

"the enemy is plainly in sight
beyond the river.

"How it will end,
only Providence can direct."

"But, dear God, what brave men

"I shall lose

"before

"this business

"ends.

"Your obedient,

"G. Washington."

Very well, gentlemen.

McNair.

Go ring the bell.

Mr. President.

Mr. Morris.

To hell with New York.

I'll sign it anyway.

Thank you, Mr. Morris.

Stephen, sit down.

No.

I want to remember
each man's face as he signs.

Very well.

Mr. Thomson.

New Hampshire.
Dr. Josiah Bartlett.

Massachusetts.

Mr. John Adams.

Rhode Island.
Mr. Stephen Hopkins.

Connecticut.
Mr. Roger Sherman.

New York.
Mr. Lewis Morris.

New Jersey. The Reverend
John Witherspoon.

Pennsylvania.
Dr. Benjamin Franklin.

Delaware.
Mr. Caesar Rodney.

Maryland.
Mr. Samuel Chase.

Virginia.
Mr. Thomas Jefferson.

North Carolina.
Mr. Joseph Hewes.

South Carolina.
Mr. Edward Rutledge.

Georgia.
Dr. Lyman Hall.