Original subtitles

- ♪ I see a land ♪

♪ With liberty for all ♪

- ♪ Yet still I know ♪

- ♪ The truth will rise and fall ♪

- ♪ Ooh yeah ♪

♪ That's just the way it goes ♪

- ♪ A word now to the wise ♪

♪ The world was made to change ♪

♪ Each day is a surprise ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ I'm searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

- ♪ I'll take my heart into battle ♪

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed ♪

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Let Philadelphia freedom ring ♪

♪ And patriotic voices sing ♪

♪ Red white and blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America ♪

- ♪ Hoping and praying for a brighter day ♪

♪ I listen to my heart and I obey ♪

♪ How can I see it any other way? ♪

♪ I'm looking at life ♪

- ♪ Looking at life ♪

- ♪ Through my own eyes ♪♪

♪♪

(man) - Here are some exciting scenes

from today's episode of "Liberty's Kids."

- As of two months ago, we are the United States of America.

There will be no turning back from that.

(Henri) - He's a spy! You're a spy!

♪♪

(Nathan Hale) - Every kind of service

necessary to the cause of freedom

becomes honorable by being necessary.

♪♪

(footfalls approaching)

(Sarah) - "New York City is teeming with His Majesty's troops.

"The tension here is excruciating.

"It has been over a year since the rebellion began,

"and General Washington has been retreating from Manhattan

"as it burns behind him.

"Still, this beautiful autumn evening

"finds me full of hope.

"Congress has appointed a committee

"to meet with Admiral Howe,

"commander of His Majesty's Navy.

"Their subject, peace.

"This esteemed committee is composed of Mr. John Adams,

"Mr. Edward Rutledge of South Carolina,

"and, not surprisingly,

our own Dr. Benjamin Franklin."

(loud bang) (horse whinnies)

- Oh!

- "My prayers, dear Mother, are with them."

♪♪

♪♪

- Gentlemen, we shall be the instruments

that will forge a great peace between ourselves and Britain,

much as a father might help to solve an argument

between a mother and her adult child,

who has moved away from the family.

- We are on a fool's errand.

(blows nose)

(horse whinnies)

- Gentlemen, I am honored by your presence.

I trust you will find the accommodations to your liking.

♪♪

- (sighs)

It is my belief that Admiral Howe

has not been given the power to offer us anything.

(sniffs) (wind blowing)

It is also my belief that we must not offer him anything.

- Don't shut the window. We shall be suffocated.

- But the evening air! My cold, Doctor!

- The air within this chamber will soon be

and indeed is now worse than that out of doors.

Come, I'll convince you.

I believe you're not acquainted with my theory of colds.

- I have read of your theory,

but I've always thought it incorrect.

- Nay, my friend. Air that is cold,

when one breathes it in... (inhales deeply)

...becomes warm in the lungs. (blows)

See? My breath is warm.

- Yes, I see.

- It will soon be widely recognized as a truism.

Cold air, in fact, is a benefit

to a man suffering from the common cold.

- (snoring)

- And the proof is in the pudding.

(wind blowing)

♪♪

- At least when Howe accepts our credentials,

he'll be recognizing us

as ambassadors from the United States,

a nation separate from Britain.

♪♪

- (laughing)

♪♪

- Do you think General Washington

has a chance to win back New York?

- No idea, but if I was 40 years younger,

I'd sign up to help him.

30 even! 20! 10!

♪♪

- There's nothing exciting happening here.

- I know. (gasps) A worm!

- (gasps) Hmm.

I do wish Dr. Franklin had let us go with him

to Staten Island. (man groaning)

- Leave me alone! Take your hands off me!

- Look!

- (groans)

- Why is no one helping the man?

- (screaming and groaning)

- Don't do it, son!

- My wife! - (gasps)

- My children! - I have to try!

- You do, and you'll end up on a British man-o-war like him!

- What do you mean, sir?

- Ain't ye heard of imprisonment?

They're kidnapping him,

forcing him to join the English Navy.

- (gasps) - You lads will be next

if you don't leave this place now.

Oh, the squirt can probably stay.

I doubt they'll be wanting him. - (grunts)

I'm staying! There's an important story here.

- Young'uns. - What?

- Won't it be hard to make deadline,

filing your story from a British ship?

- My friends, I'm afraid

I must side with the lady on this issue.

- Oh, you must? Who are you?

- Oui, who are you? - I'm a schoolteacher.

My name's Nathan Hale.

- Over there! - (gasps)

- After them! - Run!

♪♪

- In here!

♪♪

- That was quick thinking. What's your name?

- Henri LeFevre, patriot.

- Always a pleasure to meet a fellow patriot.

- I am Miss Sarah Phillips.

- I am honored, Miss Phillips. (kiss)

- Oh, brother.

- Mr. Hale, it is a pleasure

to meet a man of such high breeding.

A rare pleasure.

- So, Nathan, what's a highly bred schoolteacher doing,

wandering around the docks in wartime?

- One never knows where one might find a job.

- What do you teach, Mr. Hale? - Why, I teach...

I cannot lie to a lady such as yourself, Miss Phillips.

I am in the employ of General George Washington.

- I knew it was something like that.

- You will, of course, repeat that to no one,

as my mission is quite secret.

- He's a spy! You're a spy!

I must embrace you! Uhh!

- I'm a journalist, Nathan. What's your mission?

I won't publish 'til you complete it.

- I'm sorry. I've told you too much already. I must go.

- I must say, I am shocked that a man of your station

would take on such a vile duty as spying.

It is a role most unworthy of a gentleman.

- I know many believe that, Miss Phillips,

but every kind of service

necessary to the cause of freedom

becomes honorable by being necessary.

- You are, I assume, aware of the penalty

for spying, should you be caught?

- I am. It is death by hanging.

- A shameful death, surely. - Painful, too.

- Nevertheless, for a year, I have been attached to the army

and have not rendered any material service.

This shall be my service. Good day,

and God be with you all.

♪♪

- Wherever this Nathan Hale goes, I go.

♪♪

- I regret, gentlemen, that I am unable

to accept your credentials. That will mean the king agrees

that his colonies are an independent nation.

- What? (groans)

- John.

- However, His Majesty has generously permitted me

to offer a full pardon to any and all colonists

who swear allegiance to Britain.

- Admiral Howe, as of two months ago,

we are the United States of America.

There will be no turning back from that.

- No turning back.

- Gentlemen, I've come to love this land.

I feel for America as for a brother,

and if America should fall, I would lament its loss

like that of a brother. - We will do our best

to save Your Lordship from that pain.

♪♪

♪♪

(James) - So far, so good. He has no idea we're watching him.

- Finally he's going to do some spying!

(James) - That British ship is sending men to meet him.

(Sarah) - Perhaps it has something to do

with this horrid burning of New York City.

- Or maybe he's pretending to be a British agent.

- Nathan is a double agent!

- Maybe he's a better spy than I thought.

♪♪

- Hello! Patriots!

♪♪

Oh, no.

(Henri) - He couldn't see the warship!

- He must have thought they were Americans.

- Run, Nathan! Run for the woods!

♪♪

- James, no! Remember what might happen

if the British Navy catches you?

♪♪

- Nathan! - James! You shouldn't be here!

♪♪

- (gasps) - Oh, no!

♪♪

- (groans)

♪♪

♪♪

- What are these?

- General Howe, sir, we captured 'em at Flushing Bay.

We found these hidden in the soles of this one's shoes.

That one's in a foreign language, sir.

- I am grateful for your help, sailor.

- Yes, sir. - It is, in fact, in Latin,

and contains information

about the placement of His Majesty's troops.

Useless information, ten days old,

which does nothing to alter the fact

that, you, sir, are a spy.

What is your name? - Sir, I am Captain Nathan Hale

of the Continental Army of the United States of America.

- What is your mission? - Sir, I was sent

by General George Washington

to gain whatever intelligence I could

concerning the position and strength

of our opponent's forces in New York.

- Well, Captain Hale,

you have failed in your mission, utterly.

- I have, sir, but there are better men who will succeed.

Forgive me, General... - (gasps)

- ...but one day soon, you will have to take your leave

of this fine mansion on the bay.

♪♪

- And you? Are you a spy too?

- No, sir. - We found this on him, General.

- A journalist for Dr. Franklin.

Go. Return to our friend. - Excuse me, General,

but I want to stay here to report this man's story.

- Leave now, young man, while you still can.

- I think the American public ought to know

how King George deals with spies.

You don't have anything to hide, do you, General?

- (whispering)

- Hmm. We give you our permission to write your story.

We will now pass sentence on this spy.

(wind blowing)

- Oh, Sarah, what are we going to do?

- Find James. Who knows what they plan for him?

(horse whinnies)

A horseman! - It might be a redcoat

or a thief! Come on!

- No! - Come, hide!

- We must take the chance. We have no choice.

Sir! Rider!

♪♪

(wind blowing)

- Captain Nathan Hale, for the crime of spying

against His Majesty, King George III,

I sentence you to be hanged this very morning.

♪♪

(footfalls approaching)

- Captain Hale? - Yes, sir?

- Rise and follow me.

♪♪

Now!

♪♪

You, too, journalist.

♪♪

- What? (groans)

(wind blowing)

♪♪

- Don't worry, laddie. You'll calm down after

three or four years at sea. - (gasps)

(horse whinnies) - Bless you, sir!

- The United States thanks you!

- Leave me alone! Let me go!

(groans)

- Let him go, please!

- And why should we let this little rebel go?

- Because they are going to be married.

♪♪

- Yes. He is my fiancé.

- What's a high class miss like you

doing with a scruffy ape like him?

- He's actually quite gracious and cultured

when you get to know him. - Him?

- Certainly. And my James does plan to join

His Majesty's Navy. - He does?

- But he must wait until we're married.

It's very hush-hush. With all the tension in the city,

can you imagine what the rebels would do to him

if they knew he was to marry an English girl

and join the British Navy?

James loves our king so much, he's dying to join up,

but he knows he must wait. Just a little longer, dearest.

Hold on just a little bit longer.

- She telling the truth? - Yes, she's my fiancée.

We are very much in love. - Please, sir.

Don't take my love away from me. Not now.

Not after all we've been through. Please.

♪♪

- (laughs nervously)

- Go on, then. Far be it from me

to intrude on the course of true love.

Good luck, miss. (kiss)

You too, laddie. - (groans)

- See you at sea!

- Thank you, sirs. Thank you ever so much.

- Oh! Young love.

- I'm waiting for a thank you from you.

- I think I'm gonna be sick first.

- Hmmph!

♪♪

Please release my hand. - That's the easiest thing

anyone's ever asked me to do. - So, when is the big day?

- Listen, I have bad news.

♪♪

- "As you duly warned, I fear I am of too frank

"and open a temper to act successfully the part of spy.

"I hope you can forgive me for trying.

"And as for the method of my death,

"take courage and be not ashamed.

"I die proud, I die free, I die an American.

Your loving brother, Nathan."

- Give me that.

(growls)

The rebels should never know they had a man in their army

who could die with so much firmness.

Are there other letters?

- Sir, I request to see a clergyman, please.

- Request denied. - Sir,

I request a Bible, please. - Request denied.

- In the name of... - Quiet! Guards!

♪♪

Execution party, halt!

- Nathan!

- Does the prisoner have any last words?

- I do, sir. - Speak them now.

(birds singing)

- It is the duty of any good soldier

to obey any order from his commander in chief.

I have obeyed an order and I am here. I am ready.

To my foe, you soldiers of Britain, my brothers,

I say, may you be as ready as I to meet your end

in whatever shape it might appear.

To my countrymen, old and young,

I say, let us never lay down our arms

until we obtain our independence.

If I had 10,000 lives, I would lay them all down

if called to it in defense of our glorious new nation,

in defense of freedom. Freedom!

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

♪♪

♪♪

- When I think of how Nathan... the way he...

- Howe wants me to write this story!

He knows Nathan's hanging will lower American spirits!

I'm not going to play his game!

- The general does not know Nathan, does not know America,

and most certainly does not know you.

Let us remember Nathan's spirit, his dignity, and his courage,

and let us tell others the same.

♪♪

- His words, Nathan's words...

- ...will be a weapon in defense of his cause,

our cause, freedom, but only if you write them, James.

And we will need weapons, now that we know the British

have no interest in making peace.

- James, you must write this story!

- I'll make him write it!

♪♪

- I shall help you.

- Nathan Hale did not die in vain.

Surely it is our responsibility

to search out the seeds of victory

in defeat, in failure, and even in death.

- Dr. Franklin, will you do me a favor?

- What's that, my boy?

- Make sure my friend General Howe

gets the first copy of this.

- That I will, James. That I will.

♪♪

- ♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

♪ I'm searching for a hero to idolize ♪

♪ Feeling the pain as innocence dies ♪

♪ I'm looking at life through my own eyes ♪

- ♪ I'll take my heart into battle ♪

♪ Give that freedom bell a rattle ♪

♪ Get my independence signed ♪

♪ Declare it on the dotted line ♪

♪ Red white and blue never give up ♪

♪ You represent America ♪♪

- Cookie Jar!

(children laughing)