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Act II, Scene 2
At the Senate. Five democratic senators stand in a group,
chatting as they await the arrival of the King. A sixth senator stands
alone.
1st SEN: Fit to govern?
No, not fit to live! O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptred,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again?
2nd SEN: Shall we then to war,
At the solemn word of him
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster? Mere prattle without practice
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election.
1st SEN: Or said he so!
3RD SEN: Let him be testimonied in his own bringing-forth
And he shall appear a soldier.
4th SEN: Why, 'tis a rogue that now and then
Goes to the wars to grace himself
Under the form of a soldier.
1st SEN: Why should Macbush be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf
But that he sees the American people are but
Sheep.
5th SEN: Take heed of yonder wolf!
When he bites, his venom tooth
Will rankle to the death.
3RD SEN: We must our caucus make, to consider wherein
We may the King's ambition frustrate.
1st SEN: But what of Vest Virginia? Shall we sound him?
I think he will stand very strong with us.
2ND SEN: Let us not leave him out.
3RD SEN: No, by no means.
2ND SEN: Let us have him, for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion
And buy men's voices.
4th SEN: O, name him not. Let us not with him,
For he will never follow anything
That other men begin.
5th SEN: Then leave him out.
1st SEN: Indeed, he is not fit.
Macbush and Halliburton arrive in the Capitol. They speak
between themselves.
MACBUSH: West Virginia has a lean and hungry look.
HALL.: Fear him not, Macbush. He's not dangerous.
MACBUSH: I fear him not, yet I do not know
The man I should avoid so soon as West Virginia.
He reads much, he is a great observer,
And he looks quite through the deeds of men.
Yet his vote for this war I need,
Therefore outwardly will I dissemble
And cover his ears with flattery.
Macbush shakes off his dark mood and approaches the senators,
beaming.
MACBUSH: Gentlemen, well I know
You have no cause to love me,
Yet 'tis death to me to be at enmity.
I hate it and desire all good men's love.
If any here by false intelligence or wrong surmise
Hold me a foe, I desire
To reconcile me to his friendly peace:
Of you, my noble Maryland,
If ever any grudge were lodged between us,
Or you, New York, who have without desert
Frown'd on me: I do crave indulgence.
Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen,
Indeed of All! Fear not my government:
I thank my God for my humility!
Macbush glad-hands the senators. West Virginia holds
himself aloof. After a time, he goes to the podium.
WEST VIRGINIA: When we mean to build,
We first survey the plot, then draw the model.
And when we see the figure of the house
Then must we rate the cost of the erection;
Which, if we finds outweighs ability,
What do we do then but draw anew the model
In fewer offices, or at last desist to build at all.
Much more, in this great work,
Which is almost to pluck a kingdom down
And set another up, should we survey
The plot of situation and the model,
Consent upon a sure foundation,
Question surveyors, know our own estate,
How able such a work to undergo, or else
We but fortify in paper and in figures,
Like one that draws the model of a house
Beyond his power to build it; who, half through
Gives o'er, and leaves his part-created cost
To the weeping clouds.
West Virginia pauses and surveys the other senators He
points at Macbush.
WEST VIRGINIA: Can you not see? Or will ye not observe
The strangeness of his alter'd countenance?
With what a majesty he bears himself,
How insolent of late he is become,
How proud, how peremptory!
When did he regard the stamp of nobleness
In any person out of himself?
I cannot tell what heaven hath given him:
Let some graver eye pierce into that:
But I can see his pride peep through
Each part of him. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.
You cannot almost find a man
Who looks not heavily and full of dread.
When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks;
When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?
So, now prosperity begins to mellow,
And drop into the rotten mouth of death.
Thus do I prophesy,
The consequence will prove bitter, black and tragical:
Many an old man's sigh,
Many a widow's,
And many an orphan's water-standing eye.
Men for their sons shall grieve,
Women for their husbands,
And orphans for their parents.
For God's sake go not to these wars!
1st SEN: My hair doth stand on end to hear his curse.
2ND SEN: So doth mine: I muse why he's still at liberty.
The Duke of Halliburton rises to the podium. He holds
up his hands.
HALL.: Now, lords, if God doth give successful end
To this debate, we will our youth lead on.
Our navy is addrest, our power collected,
And everything lies level to our wish:
Is it your will that we to war?
All the senators vote aye, except West Virginia.
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