Cabinet Battle 3 - Lin-Manuel Miranda

The constitution clearly states

That the states have to wait

Until eighteen-oh-eight to debate

Sir—

Wait!

That’s the price we paid

For the southern states to participate

In our little independence escapade

We made concessions to the south to make them less afraid

You take away our property?

Secession talk will escalate

But for a second, let us say that we can legislate

Unanimous emancipation.

Freedom reigns, and yes, it’s great.​

We cannot cure prejudice or righteous, desperate hate

So back to Africa or do they get a separate state?

It’s a sin.

It’s growing like a cancer

But we can’t address the question if we do not have an answer.​

Is it my turn?

Good.​

Plantation states are packed with promise makers

Do you realize the precious time these legislators wasted?

Institutionalizing slavery only multiplied our troubles

Wait till the 1800s, and their population doubles

You all know

This is the stain on our soul and democracy

A land of the free?

No, it’s not.

It’s hypocrisy

To subjugate, dehumanize a race, call 'em property

And say that we are powerless to stop it.

Can you not foresee?

Sir, even you, you have hundreds of slaves

Whose descendants will curse our names when we’re safe in our graves

How will the south find labor for its businesses?

How will Thomas Jefferson find his next mistresses?

How dare you.​

Yet still, people follow like lemmings

All your hemming and hawing

While you’re hee-hawing with Sally Hemings

That’s enough.​

Hamilton, if we support emancipation

Every single slave owner will demand compensation

And as for slandering Jefferson with talk of mistresses.​

Do you really wanna—

Do you really wanna have that conversation?

No.​

I’ve heard enough, gentlemen.

You can go.​

Slavery’s too volatile an issue.

We won’t get through it.​

Sir, we’ll keep it off your desk.​

Good.

Do it.​

(«Room Where It Happens» reprise possibly.)