WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:16.100 The DuPont Company of Roamington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living 00:16.100 --> 00:21.820 through chemistry, presents the Cavalcade of America, starring Basil Rothbone and Richard 00:21.820 --> 00:38.560 Green. Tonight's DuPont play, The Torch Bearer, stars Richard Green as Nathaniel Bacon and 00:38.560 --> 00:52.800 Basil Rothbone as Richard Lawrence. My name is Richard Lawrence. One hundred years before 00:52.800 --> 00:59.400 your liberties were born, in the year of our Lord 1676, I fought to gain those same liberties. 00:59.400 --> 01:07.240 I fought, I lost. Most of you have never heard my name. I return now to do justice to the 01:07.240 --> 01:14.920 memory of a friend, my leader in that early struggle, and one who is also too much forgotten. 01:14.920 --> 01:23.860 His name, Nathaniel Bacon, is his state, gentleman and soldier, his tragedy, to be born a century 01:23.860 --> 01:36.680 too soon. I would have you see him first as I first saw him. Young, handsome, learned, 01:36.680 --> 01:43.520 wealthy in his own right, happy in a new marriage, newly arrived in a new world, in Virginia. 01:43.520 --> 01:48.040 I tell you, Master Lawrence, you people cannot know your great good fortune here. I know 01:48.040 --> 01:53.120 my own fortune. It does not please me. And you have lived here in Virginia? Ten years. 01:53.120 --> 01:57.640 Ten years too long. Ah, you've forgotten how things are at home. Indeed you. I tell you 01:57.640 --> 02:03.080 this, to come fresh from Europe into such a, such a wild paradise, why, it's like quitting 02:03.080 --> 02:08.480 a dark and sick room for a walk in the sun. And you, ma'am? Yes, sir. Do you share your 02:08.480 --> 02:14.240 husband's enthusiasm for our Virginian Eden? I share all Nathaniel's enthusiasm, sir. These 02:14.240 --> 02:20.060 are indeed fortunate young people, Lawrence. They have a new horizon for a wedding gift. 02:20.060 --> 02:25.960 And in you, Colonel Bacon, they have a most influential friend at court. Naturally, Lawrence, 02:25.960 --> 02:31.040 being Nathaniel's cousin, I shall help him in every way possible at Jamestown. Naturally, 02:31.040 --> 02:34.960 most naturally. Oh, I shall spend very little time in Jamestown, my friend, the wilderness 02:34.960 --> 02:41.240 for me. Indeed? Oh, yes. As we came upriver today, I watched these Virginians at work 02:41.240 --> 02:46.600 in their fields, yeoman farmers working their own land for their own use and profit. And 02:46.600 --> 02:51.480 then I, I thought of the life these same people had escaped at home. The hopelessness, the 02:51.480 --> 02:56.480 corruption, the dead weight of old custom and abuse. Why, man, there's a, a sense of 02:56.480 --> 03:02.720 freedom in the very air. There's much in the air here in Virginia, my friend, including 03:02.720 --> 03:08.400 a most murderously vile sort of fever and- And treason as well, Master Lawrence. Not 03:08.400 --> 03:15.920 as yet, Colonel. Not as yet. You speak in middles, gentlemen. As for me, I know I shall 03:15.920 --> 03:21.600 love Virginia as I love Nathaniel. Thank you, my dear. And you must not think us quite entirely 03:21.600 --> 03:25.960 innocent, Master Lawrence. We expect the hardships that go with all adventure. And there will 03:25.960 --> 03:32.640 be human eagerness too, no doubt, even here. Yes, even here. As Sir Francis Bacon, a famous 03:32.640 --> 03:38.240 kinsman of ours, once wrote, there is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the 03:38.240 --> 03:49.360 proportion. Nathaniel! What was that? Nathaniel, what was it? A sound your famous kinsman never 03:49.360 --> 03:55.800 heard, ma'am. Part of the strangeness in our beauty's proportion. Lawrence, it can't be 03:55.800 --> 04:01.480 an attack. The devils wouldn't dare. There's no cause for alarm, Colonel. As yet. What 04:01.480 --> 04:11.320 do you mean? It's meant as a warning, I believe. A savage witticism. But what is it, ma'am? 04:11.320 --> 04:15.120 An Indian in the forest beyond your clearing. He is imitating the screams of a white captive 04:15.120 --> 04:20.240 under torture. Yes, but what shall we do? Nothing, ma'am, nothing. It's a taunt, a boast 04:20.240 --> 04:25.080 merely. And the cover of the night. The savage jester is saying, we have put your women to 04:25.080 --> 04:31.200 torture and we will do it again. You're quite sure, Lawrence. There was word in Jamestown 04:31.200 --> 04:37.320 of new raids up in Stafford County. Our screamer out there is quite alone. He's been heard of 04:37.320 --> 04:42.080 late up and down the river, and we've tried to ensnare him on two occasions. Can we not 04:42.080 --> 04:48.560 try again? And now? Good for you, Bacon. But it's quite useless. At night and in the forest, 04:48.560 --> 04:54.160 these creatures are invisible. Let him have his red jest for the present. It's fortunate 04:54.160 --> 04:59.240 you were here, Master Lawrence, else we'd have been terrified. Oh, I doubt your husband 04:59.240 --> 05:04.920 takes alarm easily, ma'am. And now I must go. My wife will be uneasy. We must meet, 05:04.920 --> 05:08.760 Mr. Lawrence, soon. Within the week, ma'am. Oh, and the books I mentioned. I'll have them 05:08.760 --> 05:13.160 unpacked tomorrow. You must feel free tomorrow. That will be a great pleasure, sir. And a rare 05:13.160 --> 05:26.320 one in this, uh, this wild paradise. Good night to both of them. Nathaniel, I must warn you 05:26.320 --> 05:33.440 against this man. He's not, um, well, he's not one of us. I like Richard Lawrence, Colonel. 05:33.440 --> 05:38.560 I'm glad he's my neighbor here. Nevertheless, I must insist. It is dangerous to know him 05:38.560 --> 05:44.320 too well. In England, cousin, my father tried to choose my associates for me. Here I shall 05:44.320 --> 05:58.080 choose for myself. This is not England. In the months that followed Nathaniel's bacon 05:58.080 --> 06:04.320 arrival, I came to know him very well and to recognize in him the leader we so badly 06:04.320 --> 06:11.000 needed. And so I set about to make him see our cause and our need. I made sure that he 06:11.000 --> 06:17.560 met one of his, um, happy yeoman at closer quarters. The long and the short of it, Master 06:17.560 --> 06:23.640 Bacon, be this. We're freemen no more. We're all of us slaves to Governor Berkeley and 06:23.640 --> 06:29.280 his crew of thieves. But Peter, you own your own farmland. I in the name we own it. But 06:29.280 --> 06:35.520 it's mortgage, dear, and all to the same few men. Each year our debts do grow till our 06:35.520 --> 06:40.720 land is swallowed up. But I've seen your tobacco crops with my own eyes. Splendid crops. Fine 06:40.720 --> 06:46.840 crops, aye, for our bone and sinew went into them year after year. Much goes in, Master 06:46.840 --> 06:53.440 Bacon, but not comes out. Greater rascals than the governor takes care of that. Oh? 06:53.440 --> 07:00.960 Who might they be? I'll say it for him. Even if it be treason, he means King Charles, the 07:00.960 --> 07:06.000 Lords of Trade in London, the merchants they serve. All the warehouses in London are crammed 07:06.000 --> 07:12.000 full of tobacco, yet we're forbidden to sell save to London merchants. At a penny a pound, 07:12.000 --> 07:18.880 a penny a pound. And next year they say it will be less. I need a coat to my back, shoes, 07:18.880 --> 07:25.120 a plough, nails, gunpowder. My old woman needs a new kettle and tobacco's a penny a pound. 07:25.120 --> 07:28.560 Between the governor's taxes and the king's law, Nathaniel, these people are ground to 07:28.560 --> 07:34.680 dust. And we lesser planters, people like Will Drummond and me, we'll go down with them 07:34.680 --> 07:40.160 in the end. But surely the House of Virgins... They were elected 15 years ago. They've been 07:40.160 --> 07:45.560 bribed ever since by the governor's little favors. Well, then a new election. Ah, the 07:45.560 --> 07:50.760 governor must call it. He refuses to do so. Just as he refuses to spend tax money to raise 07:50.760 --> 07:56.600 troops against the Indians. Just as he sells guns to the Indians to his own profit. What? 07:56.600 --> 08:05.560 But what manner of man is this Governor Berkeley? An old man, Nathaniel. A sour, daft old man 08:05.560 --> 08:12.120 with a devil's pride and miser's greed, a young wife and a chronic dyspepsia. I've met 08:12.120 --> 08:18.320 his like often enough at home. He's one reason why I sought a cleaner place to live. Richard, 08:18.320 --> 08:23.040 my friend, something must be done about this Governor Berkeley. 08:31.040 --> 08:38.440 Hardwick! You, Hardwick! Yes. Yes, your excellency. Ask Colonel Bacon to enter at once. Yes, sir. 08:38.440 --> 08:47.640 Oh, where are those confounded pills of mine? Your excellency. That's you, Colonel Bacon. 08:47.640 --> 08:52.840 Now what do you want? You sent for me, sir. I've been waiting. Oh, yes, yes, yes, so I 08:52.840 --> 08:59.040 did. Colonel, we've been hearing strange rumors about this nephew of yours up in Enrico County. 08:59.040 --> 09:05.000 Nathaniel Bacon is my cousin, your excellency. Cousin, nephew, who cares? Point is, the young 09:05.000 --> 09:10.080 man's associating with troublemakers, Richard Lawrence, William Drummond and... I have warned 09:10.080 --> 09:14.080 cousin Nathaniel concerning Richard Lawrence, your excellency. Yes, well then count, confounded 09:14.080 --> 09:17.880 what's he doing half-dopping about with those rascals? Oh, your excellency must remember 09:17.880 --> 09:24.600 that Nathaniel is young. He's read many books and has derived foolish notions from them. 09:24.600 --> 09:32.040 Ah, that's sly, eh? I have a cure for that disease. That's right, Colonel. A judicious 09:32.040 --> 09:39.440 balm applied to the bookish ego, eh? Colonel, let him know we have need of his learned council 09:39.440 --> 09:45.840 here at the palace, eh? It never fails. An excellent idea, sir. Tell him that. Tell him 09:45.840 --> 09:50.320 that I've appointed him to the council of state, eh? Get him away from those scoundrels 09:50.320 --> 09:55.520 upriver, eh, Colonel? I shall be happy to tell him at once of your wishes. And I hope 09:55.520 --> 10:01.400 we can win him over to a more reasonable view, your excellency. Hope? Say to her, Colonel. 10:01.400 --> 10:07.680 I... You wouldn't care to lose any of your own little privileges, would you, Colonel? 10:07.680 --> 10:14.000 Ah, I thought not. Well, then see to it that your cousin comes to his senses. That'll be 10:14.000 --> 10:27.360 all. Get out. And so young Nathaniel Bacon, within a year of his arrival in the colony, 10:27.360 --> 10:32.680 began to sit in the council chamber of its rulers and to know at first hand the corrupt 10:32.680 --> 10:37.800 devices of its chief magistrate. When he returned to his friends in Enrico, his mind was made 10:37.800 --> 10:46.480 up, though he didn't know it at once. It is must today now at Barina, seat of Enrico 10:46.480 --> 10:51.720 County. On the green, a company of militia is awkwardly drilling, and at the nearby tavern, 10:51.720 --> 10:58.000 a group of planters listens to Nathaniel Bacon, newly come from Jamestown. Gentlemen, let 10:58.000 --> 11:02.480 me sum up my impressions. First, Dick Lawrence here was right about my appointment to the 11:02.480 --> 11:06.800 council. It was intended as a bribe. I expected you to succumb to the flesh pot of Jamestown, 11:06.800 --> 11:12.120 did they? Our New World Babylon? Or perhaps to the blandishments of Mistress Barclay, 11:12.120 --> 11:16.240 Queen of the Rebels. Ah, ah, ah. She leads the old man of Mary Chase. I'll say that for 11:16.240 --> 11:21.520 her. But here's the real news I bring. Berkeley knows of the Indian raids, of course. He knows 11:21.520 --> 11:25.520 as we all know that the tribes are gathered in force just above the falls of the James. 11:25.520 --> 11:30.360 He refuses still to raise or equip a force to move against them. He refuses to name a 11:30.360 --> 11:36.320 general to act in his stead. Gentlemen, I truly believe your governor is bereft of his 11:36.320 --> 11:42.000 senses. Yeah, yeah. Ah, you're right. Master Bacon. Yes, Will Drummond. Do you know what's 11:42.000 --> 11:47.680 happened above the falls? I'm afraid I do, yes. Young Wilson, just above your own place, 11:47.680 --> 11:51.960 the devil's burned his house, killed his wife. I've heard, I've heard. In three weeks up 11:51.960 --> 11:56.960 now, thirty-six of our people have been so treated. Can you sit there so cool and calm? 11:56.960 --> 12:03.120 I'm not cool, I'm not calm. I've lost friends. My old foreman was murdered there up the river. 12:03.120 --> 12:11.440 But what can I do? Well, I think you know. I, um, I talked yesterday with Captain James 12:11.440 --> 12:16.480 Crews of Tuckley Island. He told me that she'd asked Barclay for a commission to lead an 12:16.480 --> 12:21.880 exposition against the Sustra-Hernix. I asked him to name someone anyone. He refused. Man, 12:21.880 --> 12:27.400 man, we want you to lead us. There's three score good green sergeants tripping up and 12:27.400 --> 12:31.160 down on the earth and now with their foolish tongues hanging out just waiting for someone 12:31.160 --> 12:36.800 to tell them what to do. But there's no man among us whose means or talents permits him 12:36.800 --> 12:45.000 to defy the governor and head up our force without a royal commission. You. Well, you, 12:45.000 --> 12:50.400 Mr. Bacon, have no need of the governor's favor. As to your capabilities, we have no 12:50.400 --> 12:57.560 dute. Will you lead us? That I will on one condition. And what is your condition? It's 12:57.560 --> 13:02.280 this. That after we deal with the Indians, we remain an organized force. And that as 13:02.280 --> 13:06.400 such we proceed to deal with the governor. Good, good. Round it. Why, that man was mad 13:06.400 --> 13:35.720 enough to believe he could buy my allegiance. Yes, I will lead you. Gladly. 13:35.720 --> 13:43.200 The DuPont Cavalcade of America, starring Basil Rathbone and Richard Green in The Torchbearer. 13:43.200 --> 13:48.600 This is the story of Bacon's rebellion 100 years before the American Revolution. Basil 13:48.600 --> 13:59.720 Rathbone as Richard Lawrence, Bacon's chief lieutenant, continues the story. I wish you 13:59.720 --> 14:04.800 to see Nathaniel now as his young wife Elizabeth must have seen him on the eve of his great 14:04.800 --> 14:10.920 adventure against all the beckons of material gain. He has chosen the party of the people 14:10.920 --> 14:18.000 against the party of the governor. Tomorrow his meager army will assemble tonight. Tonight 14:18.000 --> 14:26.800 he takes leave of all that remains to remind him of gentler days. Elizabeth. Yes, Nathaniel. 14:26.800 --> 14:34.560 Am I right, Elizabeth? How can I know? I know how difficult the choice has been for you. 14:34.560 --> 14:41.240 I'm content with your deciding. Truly content? Truly, my dear. Oh, I never sought this new 14:41.240 --> 14:47.680 trust and I do not know why these Virginians urge me so to lead them. Why did I trust you 14:47.680 --> 14:56.920 and urge you? I've never known. Perhaps because I saw the greatness they've seen in you. Perhaps 14:56.920 --> 15:08.680 because I couldn't help myself. Oh, my love, my love. In any event, I have decided. I'll 15:08.680 --> 15:17.160 not see you for a time, Elizabeth. It's not what we thought this, Virginia. It's not what 15:17.160 --> 15:25.160 we dreamed. It's not a new world. No, not yet. But perhaps we can shape it a little in the 15:25.160 --> 15:44.600 direction of our hopes. We'll try. We'll try. After a march of many weeks and many hardships, 15:44.600 --> 15:48.400 Bacon's little army encountered the main body of the Suspahannock tribe at Roanoke River 15:48.400 --> 15:54.000 and defeated them utterly. But once Bacon's army was disbanded, the governor returned 15:54.000 --> 15:59.280 to his old ways. Again, the angry farmers assembled under Bacon's command at the arena 15:59.280 --> 16:06.200 and this time they marched on Jamestown. At each plantation, a raging torrent grew until 16:06.200 --> 16:12.600 the roads were filled with a band of 400 foot and 120 horse. Bacon entered the capital and 16:12.600 --> 16:27.760 grew up before the state house. Captain Drummond. Yes, sir. Would you and Captain Lawrence enter 16:27.760 --> 16:30.960 the state house, if you please, and request that the governor meet with us here on the 16:30.960 --> 16:43.400 green? It appears that won't be necessary, General. Here comes the old devil now. Quiet! 16:43.400 --> 16:56.640 Quiet, everyone. Well, Your Excellency. I give you greeting, traitor, but I tell you 16:56.640 --> 17:02.520 to disperse this mob at once. I admire your courage, old man, but not your advice. Then 17:02.520 --> 17:12.920 order them to shoot me. Here, here, shoot! Before God, I offer you a fair mark. No! No! 17:12.920 --> 17:18.760 No, we'll not harm a hair of your ancient head. We have come for a commission to save 17:18.760 --> 17:22.920 our lives against the Indians and for just laws to protect us from your hirelings. We 17:22.920 --> 17:29.280 shall have both. But not from me. Never from me. From your tame gaggle of Burgesses, then. 17:29.280 --> 17:33.680 Drummond. Yes, sir. Order the fusiliers to surround the state house. Lawrence, you and 17:33.680 --> 17:46.920 I shall reason with these Burgesses within. From the frightened house of Burgesses, Bacon 17:46.920 --> 17:53.120 got his commission. From London, however, the governor got the promise of troops and 17:53.120 --> 17:59.120 warships. And from the fever-ridden Roanoke swamps, on a second campaign against the Indians, 17:59.120 --> 18:05.800 Bacon drew a fatal infection that read Virginia Sickness when I saw him on his return. Well, 18:05.800 --> 18:12.600 Dick, the shuttlecock flies back, huh? When the savages are subdued, then I must turn 18:12.600 --> 18:18.600 about and face the governor. And when the governor's in hand, the Indians swarm in upon 18:18.600 --> 18:25.560 us again. I'm tired, Dick. Mortal tired. I'd scarce know you, Nathaniel. You've lost 18:25.560 --> 18:30.920 weight, man. You're pale as a ghost. By a touch of the fever, it'll pass. Only I were 18:30.920 --> 18:38.240 not so confounded weary. There's so much to be done. Yes. There's a report that rightly 18:38.240 --> 18:43.640 expects a thousand British regulars and three ships of war before the first frost. What 18:43.640 --> 18:49.840 shall we do then? Defeat them in battle. It's the logical outcome of all we've done. 18:49.840 --> 18:54.880 Dick, this is a greater thing than you knew when first you tried to persuade me to oppose 18:54.880 --> 19:01.360 the governor. Maryland and Carolina will join us. I've reason to know that. We can make 19:01.360 --> 19:11.120 a new nation here, a free nation, a nation ruled by reason and justice. That is... Help 19:11.120 --> 19:18.680 me, Dick. Nathaniel, you are ill. You must rest. You must. No, no. I'm all right now. 19:18.680 --> 19:25.240 There's no time to rest. I've called a general assembly to meet within the hour. You'll tell 19:25.240 --> 19:30.000 these ragged scarecrow of ours that we must meet the king's own troops in battle and hang 19:30.000 --> 19:36.920 if we lose? I must tell them. I must carry them with me. But where? Where can you lead 19:36.920 --> 20:06.720 them now? Into the future, my friend. Into the future. Gentlemen and soldiers, I have 20:06.720 --> 20:13.680 news. The news just now brought me that the king has sent troops to aid the governor. 20:13.680 --> 20:24.680 May not a little startle you as well as myself. But seeing it is not altogether unexpected, 20:24.680 --> 20:36.240 we may the better bear it and provide our answer. We cannot find one single spot of 20:36.240 --> 20:45.440 rebellion in our hearts, for we have not tried to overthrow the government, but we have seen 20:45.440 --> 20:53.580 this mad governor of ours supply arms and ammunition to the savages. We have seen our 20:53.580 --> 21:02.600 plantations deserted, the blood of our dear brethren spilt and murder upon murder renewed 21:02.600 --> 21:18.800 upon us as a result of Barclay's folly. Yet we abhor the name of rebel, having represented 21:18.800 --> 21:29.320 our sad and heavy grievances to his most sacred majesty as our refuge and sanctuary. If then 21:29.320 --> 21:55.480 we find no refuge, no sanctuary, what shall we do? I, we shall resist. 21:55.480 --> 22:00.400 We have almost to the man we did follow him, swearing to take that last fatal step, the 22:00.400 --> 22:07.160 step we knew as treason, and one by one we signed the oath he required to fight on until 22:07.160 --> 22:12.960 we can no longer defend ourselves, our lives and liberties. Only Will Drummond and I knew 22:12.960 --> 22:18.360 how the fever had sapped his strength. At last his illness could no longer be concealed. 22:18.360 --> 22:23.200 Lawrence. Drummond. We are here, my friend. We are still here. 22:23.200 --> 22:31.600 My lad, we'll not leave you. You must go on without me. Get help from Maryland, from 22:31.600 --> 22:35.560 the Carolinas. When the troops come. 22:35.560 --> 22:43.080 When the troops come, we'll sweep them into the sea, rest assured of that. It can be done. 22:43.080 --> 22:46.960 Someday it will be done. 22:46.960 --> 22:48.360 Nathaniel. 22:48.360 --> 22:50.840 Yes. 22:50.840 --> 22:55.040 I brought you to this. Will you forgive me? 22:55.040 --> 23:06.960 Nothing to forgive. You were right. What we have started isn't finished. It will go on. 23:06.960 --> 23:28.000 A great nation, a great nation will rise. 23:28.000 --> 23:41.480 The rest is silence. 23:41.480 --> 23:48.360 His name Nathaniel Bacon is his state. Gentlemen and soldier, his tragedy to be born a century 23:48.360 --> 23:53.960 too soon. One hundred years before the seed he had planted came to fruition. One hundred 23:53.960 --> 24:02.600 years before another Virginian gentleman announced to the world, we hold these truths to be self-evident. 24:02.600 --> 24:09.240 That all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator with certain 24:09.240 --> 24:37.880 inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 24:37.880 --> 24:42.080 All thanks to Basil Rathbone, Richard Green and the Cavalcade players for tonight's DuPont 24:42.080 --> 24:50.000 play, The Torchbearer. 24:50.000 --> 24:55.600 Next week, the star of the DuPont Cavalcade will be Barry Sullivan. Our play, Path to 24:55.600 --> 25:02.240 the Stars, is a heartwarming story of a man, a woman and a dream that came true. Be sure 25:02.240 --> 25:07.960 to listen. Tonight's DuPont Cavalcade, The Torchbearer, starring Basil Rathbone and Richard 25:07.960 --> 25:13.160 Green, was written by George H. Faulkner and was based on the book Torchbearer of the Revolution 25:13.160 --> 25:17.840 by Thomas Wurttenbaker, published by the Princeton University Press. Music was composed by Arden 25:17.840 --> 25:22.760 Cornwell, conducted by Donald Borey. The program was directed by John Zoller. This is Cy Harris 25:22.760 --> 25:28.600 speaking. 25:28.600 --> 25:33.920 Don't forget next week, our star, Barry Sullivan. Our play, Path to the Stars. The DuPont Cavalcade 25:33.920 --> 25:37.720 of America comes to you from the Glasgow Theatre in New York and is sponsored by the DuPont 25:37.720 --> 25:47.720 Company of Roamington, Delaware. Makers of better things for better living through chemistry. 25:47.720 --> 25:59.840 Here tonight, hear Bob Hope on NBC.