The Patriot Page #5

MARION:

What news?

GABRIEL:

The British army is barricaded in

Boston. Harry Lee, is here from

Virginia, recruiting for a

Continental Army.

MARION:

Is that why the Assembly was

convened?

GABRIEL:

Yes. He seeks a levy of troops and

money.

MARION:

And the Governor?

GABRIEL:

He vowed that if the Assembly votes

a single shilling to Lee, he'll

dissolve the body.

MARION:

Which would force our delegates in

Philadelphia to vote for

independence.

CHARLOTTE:

And send us to war alongside

Massachusetts.

MARION:

Our governor is a bigger fool than I

thought.

GABRIEL:

Lee is counting on your vote and

expects you to be the first to

enlist.

Marion nods thoughtfully without revealing what he thinks

of Lee's expectations. Marion turns back to watch the

mob.

EXT. ASSEMBLY HALL - CHARLESTON - DAY

The capital building of South Carolina. A large crowd of

lower-class men and women is massed in front of the

Assembly Hall. As well-dressed Assemblymen walk into the

building, the CROWD YELLS words of encouragement to some

and berates others.

In the square in front of the Assembly Hall a squadron of

blue-uniformed AMERICAN CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS drills. A

recruiting table is being set up by a Continental Captain

and several military clerks.

Marion and Gabriel walk across the square toward the

Assembly Hall. As they push their way through the crowd,

Gabriel eyes the Continentals.

INT. ASSEMBLY HALL - DAY

Two dozen ANGRY, YELLING, MEN OF PROPERTY. Among them are

ROBINSON, HAMILL and JOHNSON, who are Patriots. Opposed

to them are SIMMS, WITHINGTON and BALDRIDGE who are

Loyalists (loyal the the King). As Marion makes his way

to his seat, the SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY POUNDS HIS GAVEL.

SPEAKER:

ORDER! ORDER!

Slowly, the room quiets down.

SPEAKER:

Our first order of business...

SIMMS:

And out last if we vote a levy...

The ROOM ERUPTS.

SPEAKER:

ORDER! ORDER! Mr. Simms, you do

not have the floor.

The ROOM SETTLES DOWN.

SPEAKER:

Our first order of business is an

address by Colonel Harry Lee of the

Continental Army.

An imposing figure rises and makes his way to the front of

the assembly. He's COLONEL HARRY LEE, about Marion's age

and cut from the same cloth -- strong, weathered, with a

powerful bearing. The room quiets down.

Lee sees Marion and offers a familiar nod, which Marion

returns, stone-faced. Then Lee speaks, simply and

clearly.

LEE:

You all know why I am here. I am

not an orator and I will not try to

convince you of the worthiness of

our cause. I am a soldier and we

are at war and with the declaration

of independence we all expect from

Philadelphia, it will soon be a

formal state of war. In preparation

for that, eight of the thirteen

colonies have levied money in

support of a Continental Army. I

ask South Carolina to be the ninth.

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