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Edward Rutledge:
Mr. Adams, perhaps you could clear up something for me. After we have achieved independence, who do you propose would govern in South Carolina? John Adams:
The people, of course. Edward Rutledge:
Which people, sir? The people of South Carolina, or the people of Massachusetts? Hopkins:
Ah, why don't you admit it, Neddy? You're against independence now and you always will be. Col. Thomas McKean:
[heavy sigh]
Aye. Edward Rutledge:
Now, gentlemen, you refuse to understand us. We desire independence, yes. For South Carolina. That is our country. And as such, we don't wish to belong to anyone. Not to England, and not to you. John Adams:
We intend to have one nation, Rutledge. Edward Rutledge:
A nation of sovereign states, Mr. Adams. United for our mutual protection, but... separate for our individual pursuits. Now, that is what we have understood it to be. And that is what we will support. [Adams starts to speak] Edward Rutledge:
As soon as everyone supports it. James Wilson:
[standing up]
Well, there you are, Mr. Adams. You must see that we need time. Time to make certain who we are and where we stand in regard to one another. For if we do not determine the nature of the beast before we set it free, it will end by consuming us all. John Adams:
For once in your life, Wilson... take a chance. I say the time is now. It may never come again
Mr. Adams, perhaps you could clear up something for me. After we have achieved independence, who do you propose would govern in South Carolina? John Adams:
The people, of course. Edward Rutledge:
Which people, sir? The people of South Carolina, or the people of Massachusetts? Hopkins:
Ah, why don't you admit it, Neddy? You're against independence now and you always will be. Col. Thomas McKean:
[heavy sigh]
Aye. Edward Rutledge:
Now, gentlemen, you refuse to understand us. We desire independence, yes. For South Carolina. That is our country. And as such, we don't wish to belong to anyone. Not to England, and not to you. John Adams:
We intend to have one nation, Rutledge. Edward Rutledge:
A nation of sovereign states, Mr. Adams. United for our mutual protection, but... separate for our individual pursuits. Now, that is what we have understood it to be. And that is what we will support. [Adams starts to speak] Edward Rutledge:
As soon as everyone supports it. James Wilson:
[standing up]
Well, there you are, Mr. Adams. You must see that we need time. Time to make certain who we are and where we stand in regard to one another. For if we do not determine the nature of the beast before we set it free, it will end by consuming us all. John Adams:
For once in your life, Wilson... take a chance. I say the time is now. It may never come again
Full Transcript
00:00:00.764 --> 00:00:02.931
MR. ADAMS,
00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.535
PERHAPS YOU COULD
CLEAR UP SOMETHING FOR ME.
00:00:06.603 --> 00:00:08.087
AFTER WE HAVE
ACHIEVED INDEPENDENCE,
00:00:08.939 --> 00:00:11.673
WHO DO YOU PROPOSE WOULD
GOVERN IN SOUTH CAROLINA?
00:00:13.077 --> 00:00:15.998
THE PEOPLE, OF COURSE.
00:00:15.001 --> 00:00:18.414
WHICH PEOPLE, SIR? THE
PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA...
00:00:18.482 --> 00:00:20.882
OR THE PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS?
00:00:20.951 --> 00:00:25.062
ADMIT IT, NEDDY. YOU'RE AGAINST
INDEPENDENCE NOW AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE.
00:00:25.689 --> 00:00:27.222
AYE.
00:00:28.825 --> 00:00:32.627
GENTLEMEN, YOU REFUSE
TO UNDERSTAND US.
00:00:32.696 --> 00:00:36.198
WE DESIRE INDEPENDENCE. YES.
00:00:36.267 --> 00:00:40.335
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
THAT IS OUR COUNTRY.
00:00:40.404 --> 00:00:43.644
AND AS SUCH, WE DON'T
WISH TO BELONG TO ANYONE.
00:00:43.674 --> 00:00:46.575
NOT TO ENGLAND...
AND NOT TO YOU.
00:00:46.643 --> 00:00:50.112
WE INTEND TO HAVE
ONE NATION, RUTLEDGE.
00:00:50.181 --> 00:00:53.382
A NATION OF SOVEREIGN
STATES, MR. ADAMS.
00:00:53.451 --> 00:00:56.651
UNITED FOR OUR MUTUAL
PROTECTION, BUT...
00:00:56.072 --> 00:00:59.188
SEPARATE FOR OUR
INDIVIDUAL PURSUITS.
00:00:59.256 --> 00:01:02.357
NOW, THAT IS WHAT WE
HAVE UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE...
00:01:02.426 --> 00:01:05.727
AND THAT IS WHAT
WE WILL SUPPORT.
00:01:07.131 --> 00:01:09.664
AS SOON AS EVERYONE SUPPORTS IT.
00:01:13.993 --> 00:01:16.998
WELL, THERE YOU ARE, MR. ADAMS.
00:01:16.014 --> 00:01:18.673
YOU MUST SEE THAT WE NEED TIME.
00:01:18.742 --> 00:01:24.179
TIME TO MAKE CERTAIN WHO WE ARE AND
WHERE WE STAND IN REGARD TO ONE ANOTHER.
00:01:24.248 --> 00:01:28.998
FOR IF WE DO NOT DETERMINE THE NATURE
OF THE BEAST BEFORE WE SET IT FREE,
00:01:28.152 --> 00:01:30.819
IT WILL END BY CONSUMING US ALL.
00:01:30.887 --> 00:01:33.955
FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, WILSON,
00:01:34.001 --> 00:01:35.999
TAKE A CHANCE.
00:01:36.996 --> 00:01:40.262
[Scattered Laughter] I
SAY THE TIME IS NOW.
00:01:40.331 --> 00:01:42.375
IT MAY NEVER COME AGAIN.
00:01:42.399 --> 00:01:44.633
YOUR CLOCK IS FAST, MR. ADAMS.
00:01:44.999 --> 00:01:46.999
I SAY WE'RE NOT YET
RIPE FOR INDEPENDENCE.
00:01:46.077 --> 00:01:50.372
NOT RIPE? HELL, WE'RE
ROTTING FOR WANT OF IT.
00:01:50.441 --> 00:01:54.643
GENTLEMEN, PLEASE, WHAT IN
GOD'S NAME IS THE INFERNAL HURRY?
00:01:54.711 --> 00:01:56.711
WHY MUST THIS QUESTION
BE SETTLED NOW?
00:01:56.078 --> 00:01:59.997
WHAT'S WRONG WITH
NOW, MR. CHASE?
00:01:59.116 --> 00:02:01.517
GENERAL WASHINGTON
IS IN THE FIELD.
00:02:01.999 --> 00:02:05.621
IF HE'S DEFEATED, AS IT NOW APPEARS,
WE'LL BE INVITING THE HANGMAN.
00:02:05.999 --> 00:02:09.001
BUT IF, BY SOME MIRACLE,
HE SHOULD ACTUALLY WIN,
00:02:09.999 --> 00:02:12.999
WE CAN THEN DECLARE
ANYTHING WE DAMN PLEASE.
00:02:12.001 --> 00:02:15.999
THE SENTIMENTS OF
NORTH CAROLINA PRECISELY.
00:02:15.001 --> 00:02:18.999
HAS IT EVER OCCURRED
TO EITHER OF YOU...
00:02:18.602 --> 00:02:22.971
THAT AN ARMY NEEDS SOMETHING
TO FIGHT FOR IN ORDER TO WIN?
00:02:23.992 --> 00:02:26.999
A PURPOSE? A GOAL?
A FLAG OF ITS OWN?
00:02:26.001 --> 00:02:29.011
MR. ADAMS,
00:02:29.999 --> 00:02:32.214
HOW CAN A NATION OF
ONLY TWO MILLION SOULS...
00:02:32.999 --> 00:02:34.001
STAND UP TO AN
EMPIRE OF TEN MILLION?
00:02:34.999 --> 00:02:38.999
THINK OF IT. TEN MILLION. HOW DO
WE COMPENSATE FOR THAT SHORTAGE?
00:02:38.001 --> 00:02:41.001
IT'S SIMPLE, MR. CHASE.
INCREASE AND MULTIPLY.
00:02:41.392 --> 00:02:43.999
HOW'S THAT? [Laughter]
00:02:44.007 --> 00:02:47.992
WE WILL MORE THAN COMPENSATE
WITH SPIRIT. [Scattered Laughter]
00:02:47.008 --> 00:02:50.013
I TELL YOU THERE IS A SPIRIT
OUT THERE AMONG THE PEOPLE...
00:02:50.167 --> 00:02:52.001
THAT IS SADLY LACKING
IN THIS CONGRESS.
00:02:52.303 --> 00:02:55.047
YES, OF COURSE. NOW IT'S SPIRIT.
00:02:55.999 --> 00:02:57.001
WELL, WHY DIDN'T
I THINK OF THAT?
00:02:57.541 --> 00:03:01.876
NO ARMY, NO NAVY, NO
ARMS, NO AMMUNITION,
00:03:01.999 --> 00:03:06.114
NO TREASURY, NO FRIENDS.
00:03:06.999 --> 00:03:10.285
BUT BLESS OUR SOUL, SPIRIT.
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Movie Summary
A musical retelling of the American Revolution's political struggle in the Continental Congress to declare independence.
Actors
John Adams
Caesar Rodney (de)
