Tennessee Johnson (1942)

John Ince: Farmer

Quotes 

• Andrew Johnson : If I hadn't toted that gun, Milligan'd be asleep in his bed in there, not dead in it.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : That's right, and we're gonna make 'em *pay* for it.

  Andrew Johnson : [begins addressing the crowd]  Put down those weapons!

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : You quittin' on us tailor?

  Andrew Johnson : I ain't never quittin'; from now on, never.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Then come along, join the party.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You begin this Andy with your cadence. And your tellin' us to stick up for our rights.

  Sam Andrews : You led the scrimmage when the sheriff Beery started throwin' us out the hall.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You done more-a your share-a fightin' your own self.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : And who pulled the gun first?

  Andrew Johnson : It'll take me more than all my life... to pay for that.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : He's quittin' on us. Come on!

  Andrew Johnson : No! Not fighting and shooting, hanging and burning: that ain't the way

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Eye for eye, tooth for tooth: that's bible!

  Andrew Johnson : So you want to start killing. First you kill, militia comes from Nashville, then they start killing. And the dead they leave are you Maude Fisher; and Dick, you;, and Ebenezer, you; and Ethan, you; and you; and you McDaniel. Yes I told you to fight for your rights, but the constitution ain't to protect the dead, it's to protect the living.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Ain't nothin' in it I know of that says not to hang a murderin' sheriff.

  Andrew Johnson : I-it says the law hangs murderers, i-i-it says the people got the right to make the laws - that's us! And that's how we're gonna win our fight election day, and when we win it, we'll-we'll get Cass indicted!

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : How?

  Farmer : Lots of us ain't even got a vote.

  Blackstone McDaniel : You ain't got no vote Andy.

  Andrew Johnson : Well, a-a lot of us have. Come November I'm gonna have my ace paid for and a vote. Then we can elect one of our own sheriff; a common man, one of us!

  Farmer : Now you're talkin' crazy.

  Farmer : Who'll we get?

  Farmer : None of us is fittin'.

  Sam Andrews : Most of us can't hardly read.

  Farmer : We ain't good enough.

  Blackstone McDaniel : We ain't got no rights.

  Andrew Johnson : Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - those are our rights, as well as theirs. It's our fish in the stream, o-our flag on the fort.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : Hey, what about the tailor? He's fittin'!

  Andrew Johnson : Me? No... no, I-I ain't fit enough.

  Mrs. Maude Fisher : [the crowd gathers around to encourage him]  You can read and write and figure.

  Farmer : And you can speak.

  Farmer : And you can fight.

  Sam Andrews : How 'bout it Andy? You're good enough.

  Eliza McCardle Johnson : [smiles and puts her hand on his shoulder]  And fit enough.

  all in this scene : [individual comments, non-discernable by character]  Eliza's right. / Andy for sheriff! / We can put you in. / Andy's the man. / We'll beat their pants off end let you sew 'em up! /

  [the crowd cheers all together and the scene fades out]