Page:Hamilton play 1917.pdf/140

128 Just as dishonest to steal ten dollars as ten millions.

You can't dodge, Hamilton. I owe it to this country to expose this damned business. You use your official information to rob the patriots who raised the money to save this nation!

No! No!

Mr. Monroe!

He makes them believe their loans will never be paid, and then he hires this man to buy up their claims—and hoodwinks us into passing his bill for him.

Senator Monroe, we entirely lack proof of this.

Gentlemen—let us try to be frank with one another. You have come here to-day not because you believe me guilty of this accusation, not because you feel any duty to the public, but because you repent the bargain you made with me to vote for my bill. You are afraid of your own party. Your courage has failed you, and you believe this to be a tremendous opportunity to free yourselves from your promise. [ protests.] That is the true statement of fact, Mr. Jefferson, whatever you may think to the contrary. You dislike me—you are afraid of me—and this is part of an organized conspiracy to force me to resign, and so to end