Lincoln · written by Tony Kushner · 2012

Ashley begs Stevens to limit his argument to legal equality before a gallery crowded with journalists.

Scene 57 of 102 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

January 27
Schuyler Colfax
James Ashley

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:16 into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 57

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 54
Lincoln wakes Hay over a deserter's pardon and asks what use there is in adding more corpses as the war ends.
Scene 55
Lincoln continues his solitary walk, declining Hay's offer of company.
Scene 56
After reflecting on equality through Euclid, Lincoln orders the commissioners held at Hampton Roads instead of brought to Washington.
Scene 57
This scene

57INT. HOUSE CHAMBER, THE CAPITOL - LATE MORNING

The chamber's noisy and packed. In the balcony's front row, a wall of newspapermen, notebooks at the ready.

TITLE: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 27

Ashley, Colfax, and Stevens

approach Stevens's desk. Colfax

nods towards the journalists in the

balcony:

SCHUYLER COLFAX

The World, the Herald and the

Times, New York, Chicago, the

Journal of Commerce, even your

hometown paper's here.

JAMES ASHLEY

(TO STEVENS:)

Say you believe only in legal

equality for all races, not racial

equality, I beg you, sir.

Compromise. Or you risk it all.

Stevens sees Mary, with Mrs. Keckley, claiming front seats from two journalists.