Amistad

00:54:51,829 --> 00:54:55,708 This is part of the cargo manifest of a Portuguese vessel, 479 00:54:55,792 --> 00:54:59,712 the notorious transatlantic slave ship, the <i>Tecora.</i> 480 00:54:59,796 --> 00:55:01,672 The <i>Tecora.</i> 481 00:55:04,217 --> 00:55:07,512 And I can bring you as many witnesses as you wish, Mr. Holabird, 482 00:55:07,595 --> 00:55:09,138 -to corroborate this. -<i>Tecora.</i> 483 00:55:09,222 --> 00:55:11,432 Their clients trade primarily off the coast of West Africa, 484 00:55:11,516 --> 00:55:13,643 the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone. 485 00:55:16,270 --> 00:55:18,314 I know what you're thinking. 486 00:55:18,397 --> 00:55:20,858 Sierra Leone is a protectorate of the British Crown. 487 00:55:20,942 --> 00:55:23,110 Slavery is outlawed there. 488 00:55:23,194 --> 00:55:26,614 Its principal port, in fact, has been rechristened "Freetown." 489 00:55:27,490 --> 00:55:30,326 How then, can the Portuguese-flag-flying <i>Tecora</i> 490 00:55:30,409 --> 00:55:33,412 engage in the slave trades in these waters? 491 00:55:33,496 --> 00:55:36,374 I'll tell you how, in a word. 492 00:55:39,252 --> 00:55:41,087 Illegally. 493 00:55:43,506 --> 00:55:46,217 Now, whatever these men say from this point on clearly matters not 494 00:55:46,300 --> 00:55:49,011 because this proves them liars. 495 00:55:49,095 --> 00:55:51,389 My clients' journey did not begin in Havana, 496 00:55:51,472 --> 00:55:54,559 as they claim and keep claiming more and more emphatically. 497 00:55:54,642 --> 00:55:56,769 No, my clients' journey 498 00:56:00,481 --> 00:56:02,984 began much, much further away. 499 00:56:16,497 --> 00:56:19,333 I underestimated you, sir! 500 00:56:19,458 --> 00:56:21,168 I really did! 501 00:56:21,252 --> 00:56:23,212 Well, I should take that as a compliment. 502 00:56:23,296 --> 00:56:25,006 You should, indeed, sir. You should, indeed. 503 00:56:25,089 --> 00:56:26,382 You've done it, I think. 504 00:56:26,465 --> 00:56:30,052 I can't imagine there's no not reaching a favorable conclusion... 505 00:56:30,636 --> 00:56:32,597 Hey! Hey! 506 00:56:34,223 --> 00:56:36,142 Am I bleeding? 507 00:56:37,977 --> 00:56:40,146 There's nothing there. 508 00:56:41,981 --> 00:56:44,567 What did I do to deserve this? 509 00:56:44,650 --> 00:56:46,903 You took the case, Mr. Baldwin. 510 00:56:47,862 --> 00:56:49,989 You took the case, sir. 511 00:56:50,531 --> 00:56:52,783 I should take that as a compliment. 512 00:56:53,784 --> 00:56:55,786 <i>"As you may perceive,</i> 513 00:56:56,370 --> 00:57:00,207 "I wish you to act promptly before this matter of the Africans 514 00:57:00,291 --> 00:57:02,418 "becomes a weight on our two countries." 515 00:57:02,501 --> 00:57:04,503 "Great countries." 516 00:57:04,587 --> 00:57:07,006 "Our great countries. 517 00:57:07,089 --> 00:57:10,635 "After all, the business of great countries is to do business." 518 00:57:12,720 --> 00:57:15,932 "Slavery is our pillar of commerce in the New World. 519 00:57:16,307 --> 00:57:20,478 "Without it, our goodwill and excellent trade relations..." 520 00:57:20,561 --> 00:57:23,940 -"Should be imperiled." -"Should be imperiled. 521 00:57:24,565 --> 00:57:27,276 <i>"Without it, we might have been denied the glory</i> 522 00:57:27,360 --> 00:57:30,696 <i>"of aiding you in your virtuous rebellion against the British.</i> 523 00:57:31,197 --> 00:57:35,534 <i>"As slave-owning nations, we must together stand firm.</i> 524 00:57:36,786 --> 00:57:40,373 <i>"Speak the words of humaneness for the masses of your citizens,</i> 525 00:57:40,456 --> 00:57:44,293 <i>"but hold tightly to the power that protects them.</i> 526 00:57:44,377 --> 00:57:47,129 <i>"That power, of course, is their wealth.</i> 527 00:57:47,213 --> 00:57:50,257 <i>"The Africans must never go free.</i> 528 00:57:50,800 --> 00:57:53,302 "With sincerest admiration, 529 00:57:53,386 --> 00:57:56,931 "Isabella II, Queen of all of Spain." 530 00:57:57,223 --> 00:58:02,061 I am not about to bend to the will of some pubescent queen. 531 00:58:02,144 --> 00:58:05,314 Forget about them. They're unimportant. 532 00:58:05,398 --> 00:58:07,775 -Prepubescent. -What you need to concern yourself with 533 00:58:07,858 --> 00:58:10,987 is what this matter means here, not an ocean away. 534 00:58:11,070 --> 00:58:13,072 I wish someone would tell me what it means! 535 00:58:13,572 --> 00:58:16,409 Leder, you yourself said it was meaningless. 536 00:58:16,492 --> 00:58:18,077 Well, not anymore. 537 00:58:21,372 --> 00:58:23,416 John Calhoun paid me a visit. 538 00:58:23,499 --> 00:58:24,834 Oh, God. 539 00:58:24,917 --> 00:58:28,963 To explain to me why this case is of much greater import, 540 00:58:29,046 --> 00:58:31,841 much greater symbolism, to use his word, 541 00:58:31,924 --> 00:58...