1776 Page #3

and we in turn have resisted.

Now our fellow congressmen want

to effect a reconciliation

before it becomes a war.

Reconciliation, my ass.

The people want independence.

The people have read

Mr. Paine's Common Sense.

I doubt very much Congress has.

That's true.

John, why don't you give it up?

Nobody listens to you. You're

obnoxious and disliked.

I'm not promoting John Adams.

I'm promoting independence.

Evidently, they cannot help

connecting the two.

Even your own cousin.

And if Sam Adams can't put

up with you, nobody can.

You're getting at something.

How can you tell?

All right,

out with it, Franklin.

What new intrigue

are you cooking up?

Let someone else

in Congress propose.

Never!

Why? Who did you

have in mind?

I don't know. I really haven't

given it much thought.

You sent for me, Benjamin?

Never.

Hello, Johnny!

Richard.

Uh, Johnny and I

need some advice.

If it's mine to give,

it's yours, you know that.

Thank you, Richard.

As you know,

the cause that we support

has come to

a complete standstill.

Now why do you suppose that is?

Simple.

Johnny here is obnoxious and disliked.

That's true.

Now, what's the solution,

I wonder?

Get somebody else in

Congress to propose.

Oh, Richard, that's brilliant.

Wasn't that brilliant, John?

Brilliant.

Yes. Now the question

remains, who can it be?

The man that we need

must belong to a delegation

publicly committed

to support independence.

And at the present time,

only Massachusetts,

New Hampshire and Delaware

have declared our way.

And Virginia. Don't

forget Virginia, Benjy.

Oh, Richard, I haven't.

How could I?

But strictly speaking,

while Virginia's views on

independence are well known,

your legislature in Williamsburg

has never formally authorized

its delegation here in

Congress to support the cause.

Now, if we could

think of a Virginian

with enough influence

to go down there

and persuade

the House of Burgesses...

Damn me if I haven't

thought of someone!

Who?

Who?

Me.

Oh, why didn't I think of that?

I'll leave tonight.

Why, hell, I'll leave

right now, if you like.

I'll just stop off in Stratford

long enough to refresh the missus,

and then straight to the matter.

Yes, sir. I really have to compliment

you on your judgment, Johnny.

Whoa, boy. Steady.

You've come to the one colony

that can get the job done.

Virginia, the land that gave us

our glorious Commander in Chief,

George Washington,

will now give the continent

its proposal on independence.

And when Virginia proposes,

the South is bound to follow.

And where the South goes,

the middle colonies go.

Gentlemen, a salute.

To Virginia, the mother

of American independence.

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