00:01Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your new president.
00:11Anne and her husband.
00:26Congratulations, James.
00:29Enjoy this.
00:31It's your turn now.
00:33Thomas.
00:39Sure you're all right with this, Dolly?
00:43Well, Mr. President, it will be a little bit late in the day.
00:49Serious, Dolly, there is so much to do.
00:51I know.
00:55But here's what's gonna happen.
00:57You're gonna focus on being the best president this country has ever seen.
01:01And I'm gonna look after everything else.
01:04Well, you've practically invented the United States, Jimmy.
01:06Anyway.
01:12There is no challenge we can't overcome.
01:16Together.
01:34What's a girl gotta do around here for a glass of water?
01:37Melinda.
02:05Melinda.
02:07Something great happens for them.
02:09Melinda.
02:10Melinda.
02:10She's been freed.
02:11Finally, we can get married.
02:13Be together.
02:15What is it?
02:17John.
02:19Well, now that Mr. Madison's gonna be president, Mr. Jefferson wants to leave Washington and head back to Monticello.
02:27He wants me to go with him.
02:29But I just got here.
02:31How long he gonna be gone?
02:34Forever.
02:35What?
02:36I wrote him letters, Melinda.
02:39Begging him.
02:40Asking him to give him my freedom so I could go back to Washington, but...
02:45He says...
02:46I'm too important.
02:48Well, that's that then.
02:51We ain't going to be married, and we never going to have a family.
02:54Gosh.
02:55Yeah.
02:57The laws of Virginia said that you could not live there as a free African American.
03:04So, Melinda is banned from ever returning to the state.
03:08Melinda.
03:12You understand?
03:14Okay.
03:18The second Jefferson leaves Washington, D.C., and takes John Freeman with him back to Monticello, they will be separated
03:27again, with possibly no chance of ever being together.
03:40Amazing, therefore.
03:53Careful with that, Freeman.
03:56Roger, our scientific equipment. Drop that, and there will be trouble.
04:01That's the last of it, sir.
04:02I'll just have my own belongings to fetch.
04:04Well, hurry it along.
04:06It is pressing.
04:12Mr. Madison?
04:15I mean, President Madison.
04:21You can put your trunk down, Freeman.
04:24You won't be needing it.
04:26I'm sorry, sir.
04:28Ain't we in a hurry?
04:30I am.
04:35Look after yourself, James.
04:38And don't be too hard on Mr. Freeman here. He is both loyal and gifted.
04:45What it is you will need.
05:04He didn't tell you, did he?
05:07Tell me what?
05:08Your ownership has passed to me.
05:11You will give me the best six years of your working life.
05:15Six years?
05:16And what then?
05:18Well, when Mr. Jefferson bought you, you came with a stipulation that you would be freed in the year 1815.
05:26Your previous owner, Mr. Baker, insisted that that clause be honored.
05:31And Mr. Jefferson concurs.
05:34So there's a bill of sale from Thomas Jefferson to James Madison.
05:39And John Freeman is listed as being sold for $230.
05:45A horse is listed as being sold for $200.
05:56James.
05:59I've left you something in my office.
06:15Captain Freeman, let us go back inside the house.
06:40Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
06:43are probably the
06:44closest and most effective
06:46political partnership
06:49in United States history
06:51and so Thomas Jefferson looks
06:53at James Madison as the natural
06:55successor to his presidency
06:59Dear James
07:00the British are stirring
07:03once again, a war
07:05is coming
07:09let this beast
07:11be a reminder that
07:12when the time comes
07:14we must bear our teeth
07:18Thomas
07:21when Madison enters office
07:23the United States is in a trade war
07:26with Great Britain
07:27and what is becoming more and more clear
07:30is that the United States
07:32is going to have to confront Great Britain
07:37utter, utter bastards
07:39Jimmy
07:40boots on our neck
07:41snatching our citizens
07:43strangling trade
07:44the British start to impress
07:47American merchantmen
07:48into the British Navy
07:49which is an incredible
07:50insult to the United States
07:52they were seizing
07:55American sailors on the high seas
07:56forcing them to serve
07:58on British ships
07:59they were interfering
08:01with American trade
08:03well what will you do?
08:08the only thing we can do
08:11stand up to the British
08:12and hope they back down
08:15and if that doesn't work
08:19then we must prepare for battle
08:22on the seas
08:23and in Congress
08:25I don't follow
08:28some of the senators
08:29were paying for war
08:31others are demanding peace
08:32but to stand any chance
08:33against the British
08:34we will need all their votes
08:35to raise money for ships
08:37weapons
08:37troops
08:40they would rather
08:41fight each other
08:42and me
08:42than agree on anything
08:50then we must unite them
08:53in a single
08:54common cause
08:55they can't deny
08:57which is?
09:00America
09:03we came together
09:04once before
09:05to defeat the British
09:05surely
09:06we can do it again
09:09no
09:10things were simpler
09:11then, Dolly
09:12back then
09:12there were no political parties
09:14backstabbing
09:14police scoring
09:17and it is not just
09:19the federalists
09:20who want to see me fail
09:23I have enemies
09:24within my own party
09:39then we must keep them
09:41all close
09:44your friends
09:45and your enemies
09:49how?
09:51here
09:52this place
09:55I will make this
09:57great wide mansion
09:58the answer
09:58to all your prayers
10:00we will invite everyone
10:02we will wine them
10:04dine them
10:06charm them
10:07and turn them
10:08and turn them
10:08to our side
10:23I will create events
10:25that no one
10:27will want to miss
10:30that will go down
10:32in legend
10:39trust me
10:42they don't stand a chance
10:52when Dolly opens
10:54the house
10:54in March of 1809
10:56she gets started
10:57right away
10:58what she did
10:59along with
11:00Benjamin Henry
11:00Latrobe
11:01is renovated
11:02or redo
11:03the White House
11:04the country's
11:06hungry
11:07wars
11:08brewing
11:08President Jefferson's
11:10French tastes
11:11aren't the fashion
11:12we need a new
11:15American spirit
11:17oh
11:18vigor
11:19vigor
11:22American vigor
11:24there were no
11:25two better people
11:26than Dolly Madison
11:27and Benjamin Henry
11:28Latrobe
11:28I think they had
11:30gusto
11:30they were very
11:31deliberate about
11:32the Americanness
11:33of this
11:34furniture
11:34argon lamps
11:36things like that
11:36were American made
11:38it's important
11:39to understand
11:40the White House
11:41as a kind of
11:42Virginia gentry
11:43house on steroids
11:44these houses
11:45were indeed
11:46places for families
11:47but also places
11:48of business
11:49and social status
11:51you know what to say
11:53well sure
11:54we only went over
11:55it a hundred times
11:56John Freeman
11:58is promoted
11:59to Butler
11:59which is a very
12:00prestigious position
12:01and he's
12:03desperately trying
12:04to come up
12:04with a solution
12:05to ensure
12:06that his fiance
12:08Melinda
12:09will stay
12:10in Washington
12:10this could be
12:11our one and only
12:12chance Melinda
12:12I know
12:13you can stop
12:14fussing
12:20ah
12:20Melinda
12:21come
12:25now
12:26Freeman
12:27says
12:27we could use
12:28you
12:28oh
12:29he would say
12:30that
12:31we all know
12:31why
12:33now
12:34I already
12:34have seamstress
12:35I'm not sure
12:36I need another
12:40are you good
12:45you have brought
12:46something to show me
13:03you did this yourself
13:04yes Mrs. Madison
13:06that's good
13:08very good
13:11you can start
13:12immediately
13:12oh sweet Jesus
13:13I thought I was
13:15gonna be sick
13:15all over your
13:15beautiful carpet
13:17I'm sorry
13:18Mrs. Madison
13:19and thank you
13:20you won't regret
13:22this
13:30unless there's something
13:31else Freeman
13:31you can go
13:33there's a party
13:34to prepare for
13:34is there not
13:38what she did
13:40along with
13:40Benjamin Henry
13:41Latrobe
13:41is concentrated
13:43on just
13:43public spaces
13:49they flood
13:50these spaces
13:51with light
13:52so when you
13:53walked in
13:53you were
13:53absolutely
13:54dazzled
14:01Dolly
14:02begins to hold
14:04parties
14:05that she calls
14:06her squeezes
14:07because
14:08they're so
14:09packed
14:10people love
14:11them so much
14:13you would find
14:14diplomats
14:14you would find
14:15senators
14:16congressmen
14:17members of the
14:18cabinet
14:19if you needed
14:20to talk to
14:20somebody
14:21and you didn't
14:21know quite how
14:22to do it
14:22if you wanted
14:23a job in
14:23government
14:24if you needed
14:25an introduction
14:25Madison was there
14:27at Dolly
14:28Squeezes
14:28every Wednesday
14:38are you alright
14:39Jimmy
14:42the federalists
14:43up north
14:43were calling me
14:44a warmonger
14:46hell bent on
14:47dragging us
14:48into conflict
14:49with the british
14:51and the war hawks
14:52of my own party
14:53are accusing me
14:54of being too weak
14:55to lead us
14:55into battle
14:56then tonight
14:57we must sway
14:58the doubters
14:59make them see
15:00that you are
15:01the only man
15:01fit to lead
15:02the party
15:03and unite
15:03the nation
15:04against the british
15:05fine words Dolly
15:07but there are
15:08some who don't
15:08give a damn
15:08about unity
15:09Henry Clay
15:10Henry
15:10Mrs. Madison
15:13you look radiant
15:15as does the house
15:16I should send
15:16my wife to you
15:17have her see
15:17how it's really done
15:20Mr. Madison
15:21Mr. Monroe
15:23last of a breed
15:25founding fathers
15:26grown old
15:27and gray
15:28Senator Clay
15:30war is upon us
15:32Mr. President
15:32even if it has not
15:33yet been declared
15:34do you even have
15:35the energy
15:35to guide this nation
15:36through these
15:37troubled waters
15:38did you ever
15:41America can win
15:42this war
15:47look at Mr. Madison
15:50Henry Clay
15:50is from a younger
15:51generation
15:52he has no
15:53personal part
15:54in the revolutionary
15:55experience
15:56through the founding
16:00leave him
16:01to me
16:01James Madison
16:03wants congress
16:04to be preparing
16:05for war
16:06but Henry Clay
16:07and the war hawks
16:09in congress
16:09seem to be pushing
16:11Madison
16:11to war faster
16:13than Madison
16:13thinks the United
16:14States is prepared
16:15for war
16:21senator Clay
16:23excuse me
16:24miss
16:25would you mind
16:26if I borrow
16:27the gentleman
16:27from Kentucky
16:38wow
16:40everyone loves
16:42Mrs. Madison
16:42that's because
16:44Mrs. Madison
16:44loves everyone
16:48I've heard
16:49you are a gambler
16:52on occasion
16:53it's true
16:58I've heard
16:58that she once
16:59won $40,000
17:01but only took
17:02$500
17:02and waived
17:03the remainder
17:04of the debt
17:04is it true
17:05well that depends
17:07on whether
17:07it'd make you
17:08like me better
17:08or less
17:11gambling
17:12is amusing
17:14but I prefer
17:15certainty
17:17loyalty
17:19you want me
17:21to bend the knee
17:22to your husband
17:24that's so hard
17:28all to my knees
17:29for you
17:29but you
17:29and I'll
17:30the president
17:32it is a shame
17:33that you doubt
17:34the vitality
17:35and resilience
17:35of a man
17:36who has proved
17:37himself time
17:38and again
17:38to be one
17:39of the finest
17:39men in the history
17:40of our young nation
17:42time
17:42claims us all
17:47I'm disappointed
17:48Mr. Clay
17:50I was told
17:51you were a clever
17:51man
17:52capable of looking
17:53beyond the surface
17:55clearly I was mistaken
17:56well set me straight
17:58now
17:58come on
17:59tell me what I've got
18:00wrong
18:00I'm all ears
18:07excuse me
18:15dolly discovers
18:17that Henry Clay
18:18likes to take
18:19snuff
18:20and so does
18:21she
18:22ladies first
18:30snuff is a tobacco
18:31product
18:32you sniff it
18:33like a drug
18:36she shares
18:37she shares her
18:37snuff box
18:37with Henry Clay
18:39it is duly
18:40noted
18:41and some
18:41wonderful
18:42source compares
18:43it to
18:44some kind of
18:44peace offering
18:45from a tribe
18:46look around
18:47you senator
18:48tell me
18:49what do you see
18:54politicians
18:56I see everyone
18:58northerners
19:00southerners
19:01virginians
19:03new englanders
19:04federalists
19:06and republicans
19:07everyone
19:08who matters
19:11assembled here
19:12by my husband
19:22the time for petty
19:24political grievances
19:25is over
19:26we must stand together
19:28or the British
19:29will defeat us
19:31and you do want us
19:32to defeat the British
19:33don't you
19:34you doubt my patriotism
19:38then I can tell
19:39my husband
19:40he has your support
19:41Mr. Clay
19:44huh
19:45I'll think on it
20:04how did he go
20:05he's thinking on it
20:09sorry
20:10give me time
20:11I'll win him round
20:13you could describe
20:15James and Dolly Madison
20:16as one of the
20:17earliest power couples
20:18in US history
20:20Dolly Madison
20:21loves to be
20:22at the heartbeat
20:23of US politics
20:24and James Madison
20:25tries to
20:26cultivate
20:27a persona
20:28of a philosopher
20:29statesman
20:29but he's not
20:30as good
20:31with the
20:31social aspects
20:32of being president
20:35I love you
20:36we have always
20:38been grateful
20:39to the French nation
20:40for your assistance
20:41in the
20:43revolutionary war
20:44yes
20:47it is our hope
20:49that
20:49your forces
20:51will tie down
20:52the British
20:53in the coming battle
21:01if you will
21:03excuse me
21:03Mr. Ambassador
21:04I must go
21:05and refresh
21:06myself
21:30ambassador
21:31you forget yourself
21:40if you are the best
21:41France can offer
21:42then Napoleon's
21:42in trouble
21:45I've thought about it
21:46and
21:48I don't ever want you
21:49as my enemy
21:49your husband
21:50has my backing
21:51clever boy
21:52now let's go
21:53do it to the English
21:54what I just do to him
21:56go
21:56go
21:56go
21:56go
21:58go
21:58go
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