Lincoln: Stevens surprises fellow radicals by agreeing to work with Lincoln toward abolishing slavery. (scene 14)

14INT. THADDEUS STEVENS'S OFFICE IN THE CAPITOL - EVENING

The room's redolent of politics, ideology (a bust of Robespierre, a print of Tom Paine), long occupancy and hard work. On the wall opposite a massive desk hangs a faded banner: "RE-ELECT THADDEUS STEVENS, REPUBLICAN TICKET, 9TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA". At the desk sits THADDEUS STEVENS (R, PA), 73, bald under a horrible red wig, a gaunt, powerful face resembling Lincoln's, though beardless and bitter.

In the office are Ashley, Speaker of the House SCHUYLER COLFAX (R, IN), formidable Senator BLUFF WADE (R, MA), who's never smiled, and ASA VINTNER LITTON (R, MD).

BLUFF WADE

Whalers?

JAMES ASHLEY

That's what he said.

BLUFF WADE

The man's never been near a whale

ship in his life!

(TO STEVENS:)

Withdraw radical support, force him

to abandon this scheme, whatever

he's up to - He drags his feet

about everything, Lincoln; why this

urgency? We got it through the

Senate without difficulty because

we had the numbers.

Come December you'll have the same

in the House. The amendment'll be

the easy work of ten minutes.

ASA VINTNER LITTON

He's using the threat of the

amendment to frighten the rebels

into an immediate surrender.

SCHUYLER COLFAX

I imagine we'd rejoice to see that.

ASA VINTNER LITTON

Will you rejoice when the Southern

states have re-joined the Union,

pell-mell, as Lincoln intends them

to, and one by one each refuses to

ratify the amendment? If we pass

it, which we won't.