All language subtitles for John Adams.S01E06.720p.HDTV.x264

John: the french have captured
over 300 of our trading vessels.

The captain of the cincinnatus

Was subjected to torture.

The details are barbaric.

There has been a gross misunderstanding

With france that i must reconcile.

You made a devil's
pact with the british,

Their sworn enemy.

And ours, i'd thought.

It may be difficult,
thomas, if not impossible,

For me to maintain neutrality,

But to be drawn into war
with either france or england

When our own confederation
is still so fragile

Would be suicidal.

It could bankrupt the nation,

Divide the people even further,

Lead god knows where.

Now i am of a mind to send

An envoy extraordinary

To strengthen our hand in dealing
with the french government.

And i can think of no one
more qualified to engage

With foreign minister
talleyrand than yourself.

And nothing would give
me greater pleasure

Than to rekindle our partnership.

Some may say you seek to remove a rival

For public office.

Well, let them prattle.

As a known friend of france,

Your presence would reflect
our seriousness of purpose.

No one can object to that.

I cannot accept this commission.

Do you tell me this as my vice president

Or as the head of your party?

That you and i differ

On our assessment of the
best form of government

For these states united
is well-Known to us both.

Yes, but we have only
differed as friends should do,

Respecting the purity
of each other's motives.

Oh, surely you and i, thomas,

Can rise above the din of politics.

Nowhere is the din of politics greater

Than in your own cabinet

Which you have inherited from washington

Without making a single change.

( Whispers ) they are hamilton's men.

They are determined upon a
course of war with france.

Well, i am equally determined

To prevent such a course...

If you would stand by me.

Will you not help me in this?

The threat to our revolution

Does not come from paris,

It comes from within.

Put your own house in order.

You once told me...

That i would always
have your friendship.

- You have it now.
- Yes, but not your support!

Not your support.

Well, i will not trouble you again.

Good day to you, thomas.

And you, john.

( Theme music playing )

- ( Chatting )
- ( Carriages rattling )

Mchenry: the french have
made their intentions plain.

The yarmouth out of
baltimore was fired upon,

Its cargo impounded as british.

American seamen were wounded.

War is inevitable, sir.

No, war is never inevitable.

It must be the course of last resort.

How great would be the
guilt of an unnecessary war?

I intend to steer an impartial course...

As general washington wished.

We cannot rely on mr. Marshall

Finding any success on
his mission to paris.

That is very possible, mr. Wolcott.

That's very possible.

So while we are attempti
to adjust our differences

Through amicable means,

We can take measures for our defense.

Such measures will cloak
our envoy in strength

And give weight to our dipmatic mission

And, uh... i think command
the appropriate respect.

Nothing will command respect
better than a provisional army.

The state militias are
insufficient protection.

I think it's rather too soon

To be speaking of armies, mr. Mchenry.

Rather, we should
concentrate on our navy.

I refer to arming our
merchant ships for defense,

Bolstering our harbors for defense,

Building frigates.

- If i may,
sir-- - Yes.

Mr. Hamilton regards an
army as most essential.

Yes, well, i remind
you that mr. Hamilton

Is no longer an officer

In this government.

And i have no need of outside counsel.

With respect, mr. President,
you spent most of the war abroad.

Mr. Mchenry and i had
the privilege to serve

With mr. Hamilton in the army

And in the
previous cabinet--

In your present positions
in the interest of...

National unity.

So this cabinet would oblige
me by respecting my wishes...

As it did with general washington.

You have labored over the same page

For the last half-Hour.

Is that so?

I was not aware.

My thoughts are so clear to me.

Each one takes perfect shape

Within my mind.

But when i speak, when i...

Offer them to others...

They seem to lose all definition.

It is not your words
that are at fault, john.

It is the bias of
those to whom you speak

That distorts what you would say.

A bias.

We cannot survive a
war, this country--

No
no--

Neither with england nor france.

You see, that fact should be paramount,

But it takes last place,

Outweighed by these
factional concerns...

And by the ambitions of men

( Crying ) who ought to be

United with me in this cause.

Thomas.

I am bereft of counsel when
i am most in need of it.

You are hardly bereft of counsel.

Hold firm to the course
that you have set.

And if war comes, john...

We must be prepared.

You must be prepared.

Bereft of counsel.

( Kissing )

May i be among the first
to offer you my support

In this difficult time for our country?

Should it come to war with france,

I would be honored to serve
on the army's general staff.

The army, hmm?

Well, should such
a necessity arise--

Excuse
me--

The senate will vote on those matters.

I will not influence their decision
one way or the other, colonel.

I ask you only to
vouchsafe my character, sir.

That i can no longer do.

- I beg your pardon?
- That i can no longer do.

Fetch me my folio, colonel.

Certainly, sir.

No doubt you are a fine soldier

And were an able secretary to me, sir,

But you have bankrupted yourself

In the pursuit of easy riches.

You reputation is much damaged.

I own that i have made some...

Poor investments, but i am
hardly alone in that misfortune.

If you had applied yourself
to steady employment

In a respectable
occupation--

Perhaps if you had shown some
regard for my advancement,

Such employment might have
been more easily found.

God.

You have the temerity to blame me?

A word from you would
have done me much good.

I will not and cannot
countenance your ceaseless efforts

To trade on our family name!

You have had no hesitation in finding
preferment for your own sons...

Whether they have
merited the effort or not.

I have nothing more to
say to you, sir. Good day.

( Door slams )

( Women giggle )

I'm afraid i must beg your indulgence
longer than i expected, mrs. Adams.

I would consider it a great favor

Ify wife and children
could remain at peacefield.

I care not for my own comfort,

But it would pain me greatly

To see them suffer
because of my failures.

Of course.

The moment i am able...

I shall take their care upon myself.

William, i-- I
do not understand.

I must leave you.

Leave us? Why?

My... disappointments

Have blackened my name,

As your father has made all too clear.

If i am to begin again, it must
be somewhere where i am less known.

Where will you go?

I have some prospects in the west.

The west? William, surely
there must be something--

I have no choice, nabby.

- William, please.
- I have no choice.

- If you will excuse me.
- Please stay, mrs. Adams.

I know your husband is not
alone in his opinion of me.

There is much to do.

Please excuse me.

Good god, to treat you with
such contempt, mr. Marshall.

To debase you, our envoy,

In such a vile manner.

Do the french not understand the
consequences of their actions?

Talleyrand all but refused to see us.

That bastard.

His agents are well
aware you do not want war,

That you intend to preserve
the peace at all costs.

Well, their perfidy makes
that course all but impossible.

Reason enough, then, not
to release the dispatches.

Yes, but if i do not
release the dispatches,

Then mr. Jefferson and his party

Will allege that i am
withholding intelligence

Favorable to the french government

And that will inflame things further.

Yet both seek peace with france.

The vice president would
find we agree on most matters

If he could be convinced
that i mean what i say!

So far, i have failed in that task.

In this instance, you share cause.

- ( Groans )
- Should you seek his support...

You may find him more sympathetic.

( Chuckles )

"Through his agents,
monsieur talleyrand indicated

That for negotiations to proceed

A sum of money was first required

For the pockets
of the french--

For the pockets of the french
government and its ministers;

That the price would be

$250,000 for himself."

Yes, a "sweetener,"

Monsieur talleyrand calls that.

And, uh, a loan

Of $10 million

To demonstrate our good faith.

If monsieur talleyrand
has been indiscreet,

It would be wrong to ascribe blame

To the entire french government.

( Laughing )

Monsieur talleyrand is

The french government.

I cannot account for such effrontery...

Unless our envoys had some part

In this... mistake?

Mr. Marshall vouches for the account,

And i know him to be a man of his word.

I am left no ground

On which to expect
our diplomatic mission

To be accomplished

In terms compatible
with either the safety

Or the honor of this nation.

So we must shield ourselves
behind a wall of strength.

Congress is prepared to grant my request

To arm our merchant vessels

And to fortify our harbors.

And?

Well, that's not all, is it...

Mr. President?

No, should the need arise,

We must be prepared to defend
our borders with an army, yes.

And to that end, i can
think of no man better

To lend the notion gravity
than general washington.

General washington?

Well, he will exercise great caution

In deploying it.

He will be a commander in name only.

You must know that.

You cannot expect him to
take the field at his age.

I know nothing of the
sort, mr. Jefferson, no.

General washington will
defer to mr. Hamilton

As he always has.

The result will be a provocation

Of the most immense order,

Both here and abroad.

And what precisely is
monsieur talleyrand's

Unbridled contempt but a provocation?!

War has been this
administration's policy

From the beginning.

To try to pretend otherwise
is disingenuous in the extreme.

If there is to be a war,

Mr. Vice president,

It will be france's doing

And not mine.

Mr. President.

"Exult each
patriot heart--

This night is shown

A piece,

Which we may fairly call our own...

Our author pictures
not from foreign climes

The fashions, or follies

Of the times;

Why should our thoughts

To distant countries roam,

When each refinement

May be found at home?"

Three cheers for our president!

May he, like samson,

Slay thousands of frenchmen

With the jawbone of jefferson!

- ( Gasps )
- ( Crowd muttering )

- Huzzah! Huzzah!
- ( Crowd cheering, applauding )

( Singing patriotic song )

( Whispering ) all of
philadelphia is at your feet.

All of america, it seems.

( Whispering ) they
sing less in praise of me

Than they do in outrage at the mendacity

Of the french, doctor. Come now.

No no, they will turn
again at a moment's notice,

I have no doubt.

A mob is no less a mob
because they are with you.

( Singing )

( Audience singing )

( Crowd applauding )

"The president is hereby empowered

To designate as alien enemies

Any citizens or subjects
of hostile nations..."

( Laughs )

"...Residing in the united
states whose presence

He regards as dangerous,

And make regulations

For their apprehension,

Restraint or removal."

Both the house and the senate believe

The country's security requires it, sir.

There are over 25,000 frenchmen

In philadelphia
alone, mr. President--

Refugees from the slave
uprisings in the caribbean.

We must assume their
sympathies remain with france

Rather than america.

If war does come, we cannot afford

To harbor potential spies in our midst.

"It shall be a crime to utter or publish

Writings against the
government of the united states

With intent to defame

Or bring it into contempt or disrepute."

The majority of the congress
concur with this opinion as well?

Overwhelmingly, sir.

Scandalous and malicious
writing excites hatred

Against our administration

And may even foment insurrection.

These two bills are essential
in rooting out our enemies,

Both external and internal.

But aren't we concerned, gentlemen,

That with such acts

We will only further

Embolden these dissenters?

The people of this country
are clamoring for war, sir,

And we must answer them.

No self-Respecting nation
should ever be asked to submit

To the injury, the
outrage and the insult

That the french have
heaped upon us and you.

You must sign them, sir.

I-- I am well
aware of the insult

Delivered to us by the
french, mr. Wolcott.

We-- We must be
prepared for war...

But i am duty-Bound to try for peace.

"The reign of mr. Adams

Has hitherto been one continued tempest

Of malignant passions.

As president, he has
never opened his lips

Without threatening or scolding.

He is a repulsive pedant,

A gross hypocrite,

One of the most egregious
fools upon the continent,

A hideous,

Hermaphroditical character

Which has neither the
force and firmness of a man,

Nor the gentleness and
sensibility of a woman."

It is beneath the president
of the united states...

To take any notice of insinuations.

In any other country,

Such filth would have
been silenced long ago.

Mr. Hamilton takes equal pains

To ensure that the federalist papers

Are filled with scurrilous attacks

On thomas jefferson and his party.

Think of all the vile falsehoods

Written about you-- Continue
to be written about you.

You may have patiently
borne all the slanders,

But i have not.

"Before it is too late to retrieve

- Our deranged affairs..."
- For goodness sake.

"...The people must demand

The immediate resignation of old

Querulous, bald, blind,

Crippled, toothless adams."

I'm not crippled.

I find no amusement in this.

- Waste of paper and ink.
- Waste of time reading it.

Abigail, put it down.

They would not say such
a thing about washington.

They would not call george
washington hermaphroditical.

They could call him toothless, though.

( Both laughing )

By these measures,
some within your party

Hope to silence the opposition.

I assure you they will
give it body and solidarity.

Well, i am a party of one, thomas,

As you well know.

Why blacken your fragile reputation

By an assault on the freedoms
for which we both fought?

Do you intend to ship out

The entire french population
of the united states

Along with any other luckless soul

Who happens to voice a contrary opinion?

Well, if that contrary opinion

Threatens to divide the nation at a time

When we must stand united,
then yes, i will do just that.

I am interested with the
nation's safety, thomas.

Now these war measures will protect us

- From insurrection and subversion.
- There is no war.

And that is the principle
behind these measures--

The prevention of war.

You cannot protect the nation

By attacking the right of every
man to speak freely without fear.

You're trampling on the constitution.

The states will have no alternative

But to resist these measures...

Which are an assault on
the liberty of their people.

Yes, but the people's
representatives demanded these acts.

Would you have me deaf to
the voice of the people?

You are the president
of the senate, thomas.

Surely, you will respect
the wishes of the majority...

As i did.

I cannot preside over
a reign of witches.

I shall remove myself to monticello.

That is your privilege.

I am determined to control events,

Not be controlled by them.

Sign them, john.

For once in your life,
the people are with you.

Bed, john.

You do understand, mr. Hamilton,

That as president, i have the authority

To decide on junior officers.

Without question, sir.

But general shington...

Will only accept his charge

On the condition that i serve
as his second in command.

Naturally, you may decline

To accept the arrangement.

Of course not, mr.
Hamilton. Of course not.

It is somewhat irregular,

But...

I would never countermand
his wishes, sir.

If i may, sir.

A company will be
subdivided into two platoons,

A platoon into two sections,

A section into two squads.

A squad will consist of four
files of three, or two files of--

Perhaps later, mr. Hamilton.

We are removing ourselves to peacefield

To avoid the yellow
fever before it strikes.

You might want to leave
the city yourself, sir.

For general washington, i suggest this:

A blue coat without lapels,

Yellow buttons and
double-Bullion tag with fringe,

Each with three stars.

Obviously, collar cuffs,

And pocket flaps will
be double-Embroidered

As will the buttonholes.

Yes, but of course it is a matter

Of how the army is to
be used, mr. Hamilton,

Is it not?

To what end, you see.

Its presence will be...

Provocative,

Whatever the color of the uniforms.

If we're forced to rely on
incompetent state militias

For our defense,

We may as well start
learning french now,

Mr. President. ( Chuckles )

A national army binds the country

Much as a national bank does.

Now, a training manual...

Is essential.

Here we have an illustration

For the command "head right."

At the word "right," the soldier

Turns his head to the right briskly

But without violence,

Bringing his left eye in line

With the buttons of his waistcoat

And his right eye
looking along the breasts

Of the soldiers to his right.

( Insects buzzing )

Whoa, boy. Whoa.

John quincy is absolutely
certain of this?

The french are willing to talk peace?

Talleyrand let it be known
through our dutch embassy

That another envoy would
be respectfully received.

The situation in france has changed.

General bonaparte has proclaimed himself

Sovereign ruler and
declared the revolution over.

From monarchy to anarchy
and back to monarchy.

So much for the overthrow

Of the ancient tyrann.

Bonaparte will have
little time for america.

He must consolidate his power in france,

Pursue the war with britain.

This is the very news

- That i have been waiting for.
- ( Laughs )

Delivered to me by my own son

From my own son. Well done.

Well done, sir.

Let mr. Jefferson call
you a warmonger now.

Ah. Ah.

( Laughs )

( Scrubbing )

Has there been any
news from colonel smith?

Not of late.

- Nabby, it is not good for the children...
- Yes, mother?

...to be without their
father for so long.

I am resigned to the
absences of my husband...

As you once were.

Nabby, there is nothing i can do

To alter what has passed.

Should there be something
i could do to correct--

He shall return as soon
as he is able, mother.

I have no reason to
doubt his promise to me,

Nor the affection he feels
for me and the children.

As for the rest of it, i am managing.

- You need not worry.
- But i do.

How can i not?

At the end of the summer,
we return to philadelphia.

Perhaps you and the children
could return with us.

We are fine here.

We remove ourselves to the
new capital a few months later.

Perhaps then?

For the president's
daughter to be living

In washington city without her husband?

I'd never do that,

Not to father.

It is best we remain where we are.

( People chatting )

Current hostilities in europe

Demand a firm american response, sir.

When the scourge of yellow fever

Is removed from philadelphia

And the government may resume its work,

I will leave trenton and
return to the capital.

I intend to deliver a
response, mr. Hamilton.

Rest assured of that.

Should victory fall to britain,

As it most surely must,

Then the bourbons are likely
to regain the throne of france.

Any dealings with a current
illegitimate government there

Could well redound to our detriment...

Leading us back into a war with britain

We can ill-Afford to wage.

What if the french...

Not the british, emerge
victorious, mr. Hamilton?

The pretender bonaparte

Is within a hairsbreadth of
victory over most of europe.

In that regrettable instance,

We must be prepared to take possession

Of valuable, strategic territory

Before france can lay her hands on it.

Must be ours.

You would seize

- Spanish florida and louisiana?
- And not only those, sir.

If universal empire is to
be the pursuit of france,

What can tend to defeat
their purpose better

Than to detach south america from spain?

It is the only channel through which the
riches of mexico and peru convey to france.

Let us not forget there are
those in our own country, sir,

Who would prefer secession
to our continued union.

If they should be so bold as to act

On their threats, in the event, say,

Of a french victory,

We must be prepared
to bring the renegades

Back into the fold
by force if necessary.

Never in my life

Have i heard a man
speak more like a fool.

Sir?

Your actions, mr. Hamilton,

Would precipitate

The very thing that you
pretend to protect against--

The dissolution of this nation.

May inform you as well,
sir, that i am in possession

Of intelligence which confirms

That we are as likely
to find a french army

On these shores as we are on the moon!

You dream of empire, mr. Hamilton.

- You question my loyalties?
- Oh no, mr. Hamilton,

I question your sanity.

Now either you are
stark raving mad or i am!

Good day, sir.

You would do well to remember, sir,

How you became
president--

By three votes.

Good day, general.

( Door slams )

Why did you not first consult with us

Before requesting
congress disband the army?

Well, your advice was
not required, gentlemen.

I do not intend to enter the new capital

With an occupying force
following behind me.

You would not have dared to do this

If general washington were still alive.

General washington was the
rightful leader of this army,

So i think that you will both agree

That he is... irreplaceable.

Why on earth would you disband the
army when we are preparing for war?

Why on earth do we need an army

When we are preparing for peace?

You must abandon this folly
of a renewed peace commission--

You may think it folly,
mr. Pickering. I do not.

Should the current crisis be allowed
to persist a few months longer...

Our party could be assured
of a favorable outcome

In the upcoming election.

Your re-Election would
be absolutely certain.

Do not speak to me of politics, man.

The people are animated, sir.

Remove the french threat and
they're likely to desert us.

Government by fear is no
government at all, mr. Mchenry.

- Your intransigence--
- My intransigence?

Your stubbornness will be our ruin.

You would surrender
our party's interests

To those of mr. Jefferson
and his so-Called republicans.

And you, sirs, are
subservient to hamilton...

Who ruled general washington

And would rule me if he could.

- I protest-- - Mr.
Jefferson, whom you despise,

In an infinitely better man.

I would rather be vice
president under him

Or resident minister
to the barbary pirates

Than be indebted to a creature

Such as hamilton for my present post!

Now your-- Your immediate resignations
will be accepted, gentlemen.

I do not feel it my duty to resign.

Oh. ( Laughs )

Excellent. Excellent.

Then you leave me with the
far more satisfying remedy

Of removing you from office.

Both of you.

Charles is a sick man

And he will not help himself.

- ( Baby crying ) - I didn't want
to leave him-- Please believe that--

But it wasn't the place for us.

Not anymore.

You only did what was necessary
for your children, sally.

There is no shame in that.

When he drinks, he...

Forgets himself. He does things.

( Baby crying )

The money worries him so.

- The money? - Yes, the money
that john quincy gave him--

$2,000.

That charles was to invest for him.

It's gone,

Every last cent.

Shh.

See, he was cheated by speculators.

Does john quincy know?

No.

He cannot bring himself to tell him.

He has tried. He's tried to write...

To explain,
but--

But he cannot bring himself to do it.

He will be so angry when he finds out

That i have come here, but...

I didn't know what else to do.

( Trickling )

( Spits )

I beg your pardon, sir.

Uh, kindly direct me to the home

Of charles adams.

( Knocks )

( Fly buzzing )

Ah! Oh!

Absalom.

Oh, king david's son

At least showed some enterprise.

He had the dignity to die in battle!

But my
son--

My son is a mere rake-

A buck-- Blood
and beast!

Go on, father, rage.

Your mother...

Is beside herself with grief.

To see all of her finest aspirations...

Squandered on a miserable drunkard!

And worse, a cheat!

That's it, father. Curse me.

You've made my whole life a curse.

I renounce you.

Father. Have mercy, father!

( Crying )

( Sobbing )

Lv he has been a graceless child...

But i cannot forsake him.

His wife and children
deserve our attention.

We must do all we can for their welfare.

They will stay here in philadelphia

Until we leave for the new capital.

And then i will make
arrangements to remove them

To peacefield upon our departure.

I cannot help to wonder what
part we played in all this.

He had every advantage, abigail.

More than others.

It is useless to speculate

On what might have been, abigail.

And...

I will not find fault

In my behavior to excuse his.

Providence has inflicted
this disgrace upon us.

So we must bear it.

( Saw grinding )

Man: come on, move it! Pull!

There it is.

Whoa.

Mr. President.

Thank you, sir.

Man #2: mrs. Adams.

The negroes will see to your trunks.

Here, you boy. Get these up the stair.

And you and you!

Come on, get to it.

Mr. President, mrs. Adams.

( All coughing )

The fires help the plaster
dry more quickly, mrs. Adams.

( Chuckles, ughs )

It will soon be ready, sir.

Half-Fed slaves

Building our nation's capital.

What possible good can
come from such a place?

( Clanking echoes )

Is the old man welcoming us

Or showing us the way out?

"A letter from alexander hamilton...

Concerning the public
conduct and character

Of john adams, esquire,

President of the united states."

Well well.

"His disgusting egotism...

His bitter animosity,
his ungovernable temper--

The unfortunate foibles
of a vanity without bounds,

And a jealousy capable of
discoloring every object.

His presidency has been

A heterogeneous compound

Of right and wrong,

Of wisdom and error."

This pamphlet will do you much damage

Should it finds its way into the hands

Of the electors as mr. Hamilton intends.

It could well determine
the course of the election.

Yes, well, i made his little
army disappear, didn't i?

And now he seeks to do the
same to me, mr. Secretary.

Is there still no word
from paris, mr. Marshall?

None as yet.

I'm heartily sorry, sir.

The ancients...

Thought a great book a great evil.

( Chuckles )

Mr. Hamilton will find his little book

An evil great enough for
him, for it will ensure

The election of the man that he dreads,

Or pretends to dread, far more than me.

You are resigned, then?

My decisions were my
own-- Not other men's

And certainly not hamilton's.

I have always been prepared
to stand by the consequences.

I desire no other inscription

Over my gravestone than...

"Here lies john adams,

Who took upon himself the responsibility

For peace with france...

In the year 1800."

Oh, i pray heaven to
bestow the best of blessings

On this house and all who
shall hereafter inhabit it.

Hmm.

May none but honest and wise men

Ever rule under this roof.

Thank god you've come.

Of course.

Is he awake?

Nabby: mother...

His mind is much deranged.

( Grunting )

( Coughs )

Charles. Charles.

Mother.

I'm here.

I'm here.

Is... father...

With you?

No.

The election presses upon him.

The election, yes.

( Panting
) the--

- ( Grunts ) we will have not
have-- - Charles! Charles!

( Whispering ) charles...

Listen to me.

You have a wife and you have children

Who are in great need of you.

( Charles sobbing )

I am in great need of you.

So you look deep within yourself,

You turn to god and you return to us.

Do you hear me?

( Crying ) yes.

Do you hear me?

You return to us.

- You must.
- Oh, please forgive me, mother.

Please... forgive me.

Oh, charles.

Shh.

I'm right here.

- Marshall: mr. President!
- ( Door slams )

Mr. President!

News, sir!

A treaty was signed on october the third

At mortefontaine.

A copy is expected for
ratification within the month.

Thanks be to god.

Bonaparte has declared the differences

Between france and the united states

To be little more than a family quarrel.

( Laughing )

You are vindicated, although
i fear it comes too late.

The electors have
submitted their ballots.

But we have a peace.

We have an honorable peace...

For all that it has cost me.

( Child crying )

I will be with your father

Until the election results
are known, then the two of us

Will return here together.

Write me of any change of his condition.

Of course.

And you must be strong,

Now more than ever.

( Abigail coos )

Do you want to say goodbye to your
grandmother and wave to the carriage?

I will pray every day for his recovery.

( Door closes )

- Please clear the room.
- Aye, sir.

- Come on!
- Yes, sir, boss.

- Man: yes.
- Man #2: yes, sir.

Mr. President, the
votes have been tallied.

You received 65 votes, sir.

Mr. Jefferson and mr. Burr

Are both tied at 73.

( John sighs )

A tie between two republicans.

( Chuckles )

Only new england has been true.

A good showing, sir.

( Laughs )

Had we gone to war with france,

Matters might have been very different.

To return to office with blood
on my hands, mr. Marshall,

Would have been no victory at all.

The choice of a president

Now falls on the house
of representatives.

Some federalists are eager

To prolong the stalemate.

To what possible end?

Should your successor not be chosen

Before the scheduled inauguration,

The laurels will fall
to the president pro tem

Of the senate. As he is a federalist,

Our party will maintain control.

Yet, whatever the outcome, i will
no longer be occupying this office.

There is one pressing matter

I need to attend to.

I'm recalling my son john quincy

From his honorable exile abroad.

You will see to the formalities.

With pleasure, sir.

Our family's been apart for too long.

( Quill scratching )

He's dead, john.

Our son is dead.

Poor poor unhappy man.

Let silence reign over his tomb...

Forever.

He was no man's enemy.

He was...

The delight of my eye...

And the darling of my heart.

I will not forgive him.

( Sniffles )

( Door closes )

( Hammers pounding )

I#

( Fire crackling )

Mr. President.

Mr. President.

You honor me prematurely, sir.

The house is... still in deadlock.

After 32 ballots.

- 33.
- Ah.

Well, god grant they may
soon reach a decision.

A word from you would...

End the uncertainty.

That is for the congress to decide.

I have no business in that matter.

If the federalist conspirators

Are allowed to defeat this election...

There will be resistance by force,

And the consequences
could be incalculable.

The outcome of this election
is within your power.

You would do well

To quiet your revolutionary
notions, thomas.

You have only to say

That you will not turn out
the government's officers...

Will maintain the navy, that you
will honor the national debt--

All of which the
federalists hold dear--

And the government will
instantly be in your hands.

I will not enter office
but in perfect freedom

To follow the dictates
of my own judgment.

Well then, in that
case, events must take

Their own course.

( Paper crinkling )

Ah. Mr. Marshall.

Welcome.

Would-- Would you
care for a drink?

Uh, no thank you, sir.

Ah.

Mr. Bayard of delaware relented

On the 36th ballot.

He was induced to do so by assurances

From mr. Jefferson's agents

That the generous
concessions you suggested

Would be respectfully considered.

Well well, respectfully considered.

We shall see about that, hmm?

Mr. Jefferson is fortunate that
i have left him a country at all

Over which to preside.

Whatever accusations
may be hurled at me...

That i led us into a
ruinous war with france

Will not be among them.

And i have you to thank for
your service at that end.

Thank you, sir.

( Sighs ) i feel my shoulders
relieved of the burden of office.

I will be plain farmer
john of peacefield.

That's a good exchange.

The virtues and honor of office...

For simple manure.

Oh, dear. No no no, not that one.

Good heavens. Oh.

I didn't mean to burn that one.

Until the inauguration then, sir.

Oh, i-- I will
not be attending.

You will forgive me if
i do not wish to glory

In mr. Jefferson's coronation.

You will be missed, sir.

I very much doubt that, mr. Marshall.

( Sighs )

( Man yelling melodically )

If you don't mind, sir. Thank you.

( Grunting )

Thank you.

( Grunting )

Very good. Thank you, sir.

- Pardon.
- Man: sit here, sir.

( Man chatting )

Stop gawking.

I'm plain john adams,

Just an ordinary citizen,

Same as urselves.

( Theme music playing )