Amistad Page #4

- Killers of white men!

- Slavery is tyranny!

God's blessing on you this morning.

Yes. You place your hand on

this book and I'll pray for you.

They're

human beings, not animals!

Slavery will kill this country!

... in the

quietude of the night

after the Spaniards attended their

vespers and were in virtuous sleep,

the savages broke loose

their collars,

and stole onto the deck

like creatures of prey.

They fell upon the unsuspecting crew

with these sabres and cane knives...

- I cannot overstate...

... they mutilated at least one...

The simple cook, a Creole...

Their own kind.

But for Seors Ruiz and Montes,

who steered the Amistad

to these shores

under constant threat of like fate,

we might never have heard of

this massacre, this bloodbath.

But for their bravery, these villains

would have escaped justice.

But they've not. They've not.

Do you know the difference

between a cow and a cabbage?

A brick and a bear?

Or how about...

a polecat and a president?

The Spanish government hopes you

don't have much more sense than that.

This case isn't about murder,

mayhem or massacres.

It's not about anything

that dramatic.

This case is about knowing the

difference between here and there.

I want to show you something.

Open your mouth.

He doesn't understand.

He doesn't speak English.

Abra su boca.

Doesn't he understand? I thought

he was born on a Cuban plantation?

Perhaps he simply doesn't like you.

He wouldn't be the first,

Mr. Holabird.

Yes.

What, did he learn this on some Cuban

plantation, this decorative effect?

Cuban plantation!

Stand up. Stand up!

Hey. Levantate.

Levantate.

- Levantate.

- Stand up.

- Ahh!

Thank you.

Your Honour, I speak more Spanish,

and I was born in Philadelphia.

On Spanish plantations,

slaves choose to live

surrounded by their own ways

and simple languages.

Pray tell, what need they know

of Spanish? "Fetch? Carry? Stop?"

Gestures suffice for slaves,

as for any other beast of burden.

Your Honour...

I represent the interests

of Seors Ruiz and Montes.

- I remember.

- I have a bill of sale,

issued in Havana

for the purchase of slaves.

I remember that too.

On it, in addition to the amounts

paid for each, are their names.

Jose, Bernardo...

Paco and so on.

On behalf of my clients, I submit

this document to the court.

Mr. Baldwin, you've proffered

a good deal of - I'll be kind -

circumstantial evidence.

Have you, in addition, anything, in

the order of actual documentation,

that might refute this one,

and so more compellingly

support your claims?

I'm sure I could manufacture some

as easily as they have, Your Honour.

What you're saying is,

then, you don't.

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