Lincoln · written by Tony Kushner · 2012

Seward warns peace negotiations could destroy the amendment coalition; Lincoln orders him to find thirteen more votes.

Scene 34 of 102 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Seward
Lincoln

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 48 min into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 34

In the final winter of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln risks a fragile coalition and the chance of an early peace to force an amendment abolishing slavery through a divided House of Representatives.

Scenes 1–7
The reelected president balances military command, popular affection and a household wounded by grief.
Scenes 8–13
Lincoln needs a durable constitutional abolition measure and commits to passing it before the term ends.
Scenes 14–16
Radical allies and discreet patronage operatives join the campaign as the amendment enters House debate.
Scene 17
Robert returns, bringing the family's private struggle over his enlistment into Lincoln's public campaign.
Just before
Scene 31
Bilbo offers Hawkins a government position while checking his bird snares.
Scene 32
Seward reports six Democratic votes, then discovers Lincoln has permitted Blair's Confederate peace initiative.
Scene 33
Confederate peace commissioners cross the lines and reluctantly enter an ambulance staffed by Black soldiers.
Scene 34
This scene

34INT. LINCOLN'S OFFICE, WHITE HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

Seward stands, stunned. Lincoln sits at the cabinet table. Nicolay is gone.

SEWARD

Why wasn't I consulted?! I'm

Secretary of State! You, you, you

informally send a reactionary

dottard, to - What will happen, do

you imagine, when these peace

commissioners arrive?

LINCOLN

We'll hear `em out.

SEWARD

Oh, splendid! And next the

Democrats will invite `em up to

hearings on the Hill, and the

newspapers - well, the newspapers -

the newspapers will ask "why risk

enraging the Confederacy over the

issue of slavery when they're here

to make peace?" We'll lose every

Democrat we've got, more than

likely conservative Republicans

will join `em, and all our work,

all our preparing the ground for

the vote, laid waste, for naught.

LINCOLN

The Blairs have promised support

for the amendment if we listen to

these people -

SEWARD

Oh, the Blairs promise, do they?

You think they'll keep their

promise once we have heard these

delegates and refused them? Which

we will have to do, since their

proposal most certainly will be

predicated on keeping their slaves!

LINCOLN

What hope for any Democratic votes,

Willum, if word gets out that I've

refused a chance to end the war?

You think word won't get out? In

Washington?

SEWARD

It's either the amendment or this

Confederate peace, you cannot have