Lincoln (2012)
Joseph Cross: John Hay
Photos
Quotes
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Abraham Lincoln : Now, here's a sixteen year old boy. They're going to hang him. He was with the 15th Indiana Calvary near Beaufort, seems he lamed his horse to avoid battle. I don't think even Stanton would complain if I pardoned him? You think Stanton would complain?
John Hay : Ummm... I don't know, sir, I don't know who you're, uh... What time is it?
Abraham Lincoln : It's three forty in the morning.
John Nicolay : [not fully conscious] Don't... let him pardon any more deserters...
John Hay : Mr. Stanton thinks you pardon too many. He's generally apoplectic...
Abraham Lincoln : He oughtn't to have done that, crippled his horse. That was cruel, but you don't just hang a sixteen year old boy for that...
John Hay : Ask the horse what he thinks.
Abraham Lincoln : For cruelty. There'd be no sixteen year old boys left.
[protracted pause while staring into oblivion]
Abraham Lincoln : Grant wants me to bring the secesh delegates to Washington.
John Nicolay : [fully awaken, sits upright in bed] So... there are secesh delegates?
Abraham Lincoln : He was afraid, that's all it was. I don't care to hang a boy for being frightened, either. What good would it do him?
[signs the pardon]
Abraham Lincoln : War's nearly done. Ain't that so? What use one more corpse? Any more corpses?
[rises to leaves]
John Hay : Do you need company?
Abraham Lincoln : Times like this, I'm best alone.
[exits]