Of Genius Praised: Thrust and Parry: A Drama in Verse of the Young American Republic

By Michael Yarbrough

OF GENIUS PRAISED: THRUST AND PARRY is a verse play about the early American Republic during the administrations of Thomas Jefferson. With Jefferson himself and many more, featured characters include Aaron Burr, his daughter Theodosia, a child prodigy; Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Dolly Madison, James Wilkinson, and the intrigues that bind them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664148451

Michael Yarbrough

Michael Yarbrough at different times has written poetry, fiction, and now verse drama. He has studied history and politics for years. He has also traveled throughout Asia where he taught English for 23 years. His writing has drawn on his interests in Asia, Europe and America. He's just finished a screenplay about the eastern Mediterranean in the early 7th century. Next year, he hopes to publish a novel about San Francisco.

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Copyright © 2021 by Michael Yarbrough.

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Rev. date: 02/24/2021

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Dramatis Personnae

Act I

Act II.

Act III

Acknowledgement: I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to the late Gore Vidal for his

notion seconded by such historians as Arnold Rogow and Buckner

Melton, jr. that though there is no documentary proof, Burr’s most likely

reason for engaging Alexander Hamilton in a dual was his suggestion that Burr’s relationship with his daughter, Theodosia, was incestuous.

Dramatis Personnae (in order of their appearance)

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord : Napoleon’s minister

Napoleon Bonapsrte

James Madison, Jefferson’s Secretary of State

Andre Louis Pichon, French Charge d’Affaires

Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States

Dolly Payne Madison

Robert R. Livingston: American Minister Plenipotentiary to France

François Barbe´-Marois: Napoleon’s Secretary of the Treasury

Alexander Hamilton

Elizabeth (Betsy) Hamilton:

Angelica Schuyler Church (Elizabeth’s sister)

Senator Timothy Pickering, Senator from Massachusetts

Aaron Burr, Vice-President of the United States

James Hillhouse, Senator from Connecticut

William Plumer, Senator from New Hampshire

Mrs. Schermer

Mrs. Horner

Mrs. Rutledge

Mrs. Fermer

Richard Fermer

Roy Rutledge

Joseph Alston, son of William Alston, owner of great plantation in South Carolina with many slaves

Theodosia (Theo) Burr, daughter of Aaron Burr

Will Sergeant, Messenger (to Thomas Jefferson)

Don Vincente Folch, Governor of Spanish West Florida

James Wilkinson, highest ranking general of the United States Army

Casa Calvo, Marques de Spanish Border Commissioner

John Swartwout - follower of Aaron Burr

William Van Ness, lawyer and Aaron Burr’s friend and second

Robert Swartout, follower of Aaron Burr

Nathaniel Pendleton, judge for Dutches County, friend of Hamilton

William Bayard, merchant and a director of the Bank of New York, friend of Hamilton

Mrs. Bayard

Samuel Swartwout, follower of Aaron Burr

Mary White Morris, wife of Robert Morris

Robert Morris, friend of Hamilton, remember as financier of the Revolution

Captain William Smith, husband of Abigail daughter of John and Abigail Adams

Abigail Smith

Thomas Truxton, retired by Thomas Jefferson from the U.S. Navy

Clement Biddle, friend to Aaron Burr

Pierce Butler, friend of Aaron Burr

Act I [alternative: part I]

PROLOGUE –delivered by a chorus of two rows: the upper, from left to right in the order of their distinction, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr; the lower, by only two figures: on the right, Chief Justice John Marshall; on the left, General James Wilkinson.

That these pillars demigods have raised –

our Republic newly forged– should totter!

Such a balance of laws, of genius praised!

Why should these preface civil slaughter?

The law but balances thrust and parry –

its makers unmake – (a false firmament)?

With all and all promises be wary,

the times to fell gales bringing testament?

Act I Prelude

Scene 1 Napoleon’s chamber large with maps on the wall, including one of North America.

Talleyrand: Louisiana, so close! –a base for guns

to Saint Domingue, Your Excellency! [pointing to an island on the map first known by the Spanish, Hispaniola.]

Napoleon: To Toussaint L’Ouverture! His niggers close

to theirs! And to freedom’s friend, – nearly ours

– of many slaves the master!

Talleyrand: Thomas

Jefferson! For whom, like us, the price of

mastery is eternal vigilance.

Napoleon: Indeed,

Talleyrand, a soldier’s virtue! His

by a traitor general, England’s Benedict

Arnold, twice surprised!

[with a shrug]

But Talleyrand!

So well he writes! – the way you steal!

Talleyrand: My due

emolument I seek, Your Excellency.

But I meant to say: Virginia’s L’Ouvertures,

the dead Prossers, Gabriel and Martin,

Jefferson would also flee – to us! Their

beacon conquer, lest they his Barbary

corsairs become. So states our Charge

d’Affaires, Pichon.

Napoleon: An accommodating

Fellow, Jefferson! Destroy he would Adam’s

shield against us and England, but for us

the guns and food – if Louisiana

he yet believes is Spanish! Then with England’s

nod…[pause]

Talleyrand: Oh! Ave Amiens! The peace

of lordly nations guards our fate! Then Saint

Domingue again enslaved and rich; the Missisippi’s

eastern bank a wall of brass.

Napoleon: Of bayonets,

Talleyrand, if you please! – lest New Orleans

their farmers seize!

Talleyrand: Nay, Your Excellency!

Our New Orleans, our farmers in Louisiana

their own supplant!

Napoleon: Indeed! The supplanted

suppliant to France – The consolation

of philosophy apprehended!

Jefferson at last a sage!

Scene 2 James Madison’s Office.

Madison: Monsieur Pichon, can your France be needy?

From America will you accept a boon?

Pichon: Much it will, Monsieur Madison. LeClerc,

our general, subdues the blacks

on a promise!

Madison: Whose?

Pichon: Whose? The President’s!

Madison: With what understanding?

Pichon: What was promised!

[pausing and sighing with waving arms for effect]

By the President!

Madison: And Louisiana?

Pichon: And Louisiana? What about it?

Madison: Spanish still? Or French?

Pichon: Jefferson –

Madison: Spanish

he understood. It is, isn’t it?... True?

We do hope so. Odd but peaceable folk,

the Spanish! Don’t you think so? Whereas we

Americans and French a recent war

remember.

Pichon: With