History Awesome / Lincoln

--> “How can I hold that all men are created equal when here before me stands, ''stinking'', the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio. Proof that some men ARE inferior; endowed by their maker with dim wits, impermeable to ''reason'', with cold pallid slime in their veins instead of ''hot red blood''! You are more ''reptile'' than man, George, so low and flat that the foot of man is ''incapable'' of crushing you! Yet even ''you'', Pendleton, who should have been gibbetted for treason ''long'' before today, even worthless, unworthy you ought to be treated equally before the law! And so again, sir, and again and again I say: I do not hold with equality in ''all'' things, only with equality before the law!”

* [[spoiler:George Yeaman]] changing his mind and voting for the amendment. [[BigYes Loudly.]]
--> [[spoiler: '''George Yeaman''':]] ...[[WhamLine I said ''aye'', Mr. McPherson.]] '''''[[SuddenlyShouting AAAAAYYYYYEEEEEEEEEE!]]'''''

* When Congressman [[spoiler:Clay Hawkins]], who up until that time had seemed like nothing more than a [[DirtyCoward corrupt coward]], first accepting Lincoln and Bilboe's bribe in exchange for his vote, then [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere switching back]] for fear of what the people in his hometown will do to him if they find out that he voted for the amendment, finally screws his courage to the sticking place and votes for the amendment, loudly proclaiming that anyone who doesn't like it can "Shoot me dead, I am voting yes!"

* Lincoln at the telegraph office, mulling over his bringing the Confederate peace delegates into Washington in order to mollify the Republican moderates (although it would kill political support for the Amendment). He openly talks to the two telegraph operators about the whole concept of the phrase "self-evident", how a mathematical concept from Euclid applies to the basic rights of humanity spelled out in the Declaration of Independence, and you can see him making the decision to [[spoiler:keep the delegates away from the city in order to delay their arrival until the Amendment can pass.]]

-->'''Lincoln''': I can't listen to this anymore. I can't accomplish a goddamn thing of any worth until we cure ourselves of slavery and end this pestilential war! Whether any of you or anyone else knows it, I know I need this! This amendment is that cure! We are stepped out upon the world stage now. Now! With the fate of human dignity in our hands. Blood's been spilled to afford us this moment '''now! Now! Now!''' And you groustle and heckle and dodge about like pettifogging Tammany Hall hucksters!

* Thaddeus Stevens explaining how it is that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjOJzX54QYs he can say that some men may possibly be inferior to others]]. After being forced by political necessity to disavow his strong belief that black people should be considered completely equal, and instead say that they should only be considered equal before the law, Democrats Pendleton and Wood try to goad him into stating his true opinion. Stevens, after repeating his line like a SurvivalMantra a few times, finally looks at the Democrats and uses ''Pendleton'' as a prime example of his argument. And it is ''awesome''.

* The above scene ends with Lincoln at his most coldly furious, after James Ashley questions exactly ''how'' they should get the votes they need to pass the Amendment. Lincoln fixes him with an incredulous "Are You Kidding Me?" expression, then rises from his chair, [[LargeAndInCharge to his full height]]:

* For the nation: the Thirteenth Amendment [[ForegoneConclusion passes]]. The argument over slavery is answered. ''For all coming time''.

* For the nation: the Thirteenth Amendment [[ForegoneConclusion passes]]. The argument over slavery is answered. For all time.

-->'''Lincoln''': I can't listen to this anymore. I can't accomplish a goddamn thing of any worth until we cure ourselves of slavery and end this pestilential war! I wonder if any of you or anyone else knows it. I know! I need this! This amendment is that cure! We've stepped out upon the world stage now. Now! With the fate of human dignity in our hands. Blood's been spilled to afford us this moment '''now! Now! Now!''' And you grouse so and heckle and dodge about like pettifogging Tammany Hall hucksters!

--> “How can I hold that all men are created equal when here before me stands, ''stinking'', the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio. Proof that some men ARE inferior; endowed by their maker with dim wits, impermeable to ''reason'', with cold pallid slime in their veins instead of ''hot red blood''! You are more ''reptile'' than man, George, so low and flat that the foot of man is ''incapable'' of crushing you! Yet even ''you'', Pendleton, who should have been gibbetted for treason ''long'' before today, even worthless, unworthy you deserve to be treated equally before the law! And so again, sir, and again and again I say: I do not hold with equality in ''all'' things, only with equality before the law!”

---> “How can I hold that all men are created equal when here before me stands, ''stinking'', the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio. Proof that some men ARE inferior; endowed by their maker with dim wits, impermeable to ''reason'', with cold pallid slime in their veins instead of ''hot red blood''! You are more REPTILE than man, George, so low and flat that the foot of man is ''incapable'' of crushing you! Yet even YOU, Pendleton, who should have been gibbetted for treason ''long'' before today, even worthless, unworthy you deserve to be treated equally before the law! And so again, sir, and again and again I say: I do not hold with equality in ''all'' things, only with equality before the law!”

---> Pendleton: The Speaker doesn't vote.
--->Colfax: The Speaker may vote if he so chooses.
--->Pendleton: (staggering) It's highly unusual...
--->Colfax: [[ShutUpHannibal This isn't usual, Pendleton. This is history]].

--->Colfax: The Speaker is not ''required'' to vote.