Lincoln · written by Tony Kushner · 2012

Stevens secures Coffroth's vote by threatening his seat, while requiring him to remain a Democrat through the vote.

Scene 67 of 102 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Thaddeus Stevens
Alexander Coffroth

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:31 into a 2:06 film

The story so farBefore scene 67

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.
Scene 56
Lincoln changes his telegram to hold the Confederate commissioners outside Washington, choosing time for the amendment over immediate talks.
Scene 63
Mary predicts losing Robert and confronts Lincoln over the grief and bloodshed carried by his decisions.
Just before
Scene 64
At the opera, Mary urges Lincoln to secure the amendment himself and warns him of failure's cost.
Scene 65
Keckley challenges Lincoln about freed people's future and asserts her place in the nation through her son's sacrifice.
Scene 66
Lincoln visits Seward's operatives and devises a way to pressure Coffroth through his disputed congressional seat.
Scene 67
This scene

67INT. THADDEUS STEVENS'S OFFICE, THE CAPITOL - NIGHT

Stevens is at his desk, paperwork piled high. There's a knock at the door.

THADDEUS STEVENS

It opens!

A nervous man enters hesitantly: Alexander Coffroth.

Stevens glares at him with what looks like horror. Coffroth's frightened smile transforms into a rictus of pain. Then:

THADDEUS STEVENS (CONT'D)

You are Canfrey?

ALEXANDER COFFROTH

Coffroth, Mr. Stevens, Alexander

Coffroth, I'm, I'm -

THADDEUS STEVENS

(SKEPTICAL)

Are we representatives of the same

state?

ALEXANDER COFFROTH

Y-yes sir! We sit only three desks

apart -

Stevens waves him into a chair.

THADDEUS STEVENS

I haven't noticed you. I'm a

Republican, and you, Coughdrop, are

a Democrat?

ALEXANDER COFFROTH

Well, I... Um, that is to say... I -

THADDEUS STEVENS

The modern travesty of Thomas

Jefferson's political organization

to which you have attached yourself

like a barnacle has the effrontery

to call itself The Democratic

Party. You are a Dem-o-crat. What's

the matter with you? Are you

wicked?

ALEXANDER COFFROTH

Well, I felt, um, formerly, I -

THADDEUS STEVENS

Never mind, Coffsnot. You were

ignominiously trounced at the

hustings in November's election by

your worthy challenger, a

republican -

ALEXANDER COFFROTH

No, sir, I was not, um, trounced!

Uh, he wants to steal my seat! I