:31:00
as to leave me scarcely
anything to say.
:31:05
However...
:31:09
Why are we here?
:31:12
How is it that a simple,
plain property issue
:31:16
should now find itself
so ennobled as to be argued
:31:19
before the Supreme Court of
the United States of America?
:31:23
Do we fear the lower courts, which
found for us, missed the truth?
:31:27
Or is it, rather, our great
and consuming fear of civil war,
:31:32
that has allowed us to heap symbolism
:31:34
upon a simple case
that never asked for it?
:31:37
And now would have us disregard truth
:31:40
even as it stands before us,
tall and proud as a mountain.
:31:45
The truth...in truth, has been driven
from this case like a slave.
:31:52
Flogged from court to court,
wretched and destitute.
:31:57
And not by any great legal acumen
:32:02
on the part of the opposition,
I might add.
:32:06
But through the long, powerful arm
of the executive office.
:32:10
This is no mere property
case, gentlemen.
:32:13
This is the most important case
ever to come before this court.
:32:17
Because what it in fact concerns
:32:22
is the very nature of man.
:32:28
Uh, these are, um...
:32:34
These are transcriptions of letters
:32:36
written between our
secretary of state, John Forsyth,
:32:41
and the Queen of Spain,
Isabella the Second.
:32:46
Now, I ask that you accept
their perusal
:32:50
as part of your deliberations.
:32:52
Thank you, sir.
:32:55
I would not touch on them now
except to notice
:32:58
a curious phrase
which is much repeated.