
A Passion for Justice Full Episode – Bonanza, Season #05, Episode #2
In this Bonanza episode, Jonathan Harris, who would later portray a villain in “Lost in Space,” takes on the role of the esteemed British novelist Charles Dickens. When the Virginia City newspaper begins publishing Dickens’ latest work without his consent, the author arrives in town to voice his objections and finds himself unjustly arrested and fined. Despite Dickens’ adamant refusal to pay the fine or defend himself, he finds unexpected allies in the Cartwrights, his fervent admirers. Other notable cast members include Victor Maddern as Dave, Frank Albertson as Sam Walker, and Charles Irving as Rogers. Originally airing on September 29, 1963, A Passion for Justice is a compelling episode highlighting themes of integrity and advocacy.
Explore the plot details, along with intriguing trivia, or enjoy the complete episode by watching it below.
Table of Contents
Watch the Full Episode of A Passion for Justice
Watch the Full Episode of A Passion for Justice:
Main Cast
In addition to the main cast, “A Passion for Justice,” the second episode of Bonanza Season 5 showcases several recurring and guest-supporting actors. The featured performers in this episode include:
- Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
- Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
- Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
- Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
- Jonathan Harris as Charles Dickens
- Victor Maddern as Dan Stoker
- Frank Albertson as Sam Walker
- Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
- Charles Irving as Prosceutor Rogers
- Sydney Smith as Judge
- E.J. André as Jeb (as E.J. Andre)
- Don Washbrook as Tim the Typesetter
- Alice Frost as Prominent Townswoman
- James Stone as Henry
- Clegg Hoyt as Drunk
- George Bell as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bill Borzage as Townsman (uncredited)
- Danny Borzage as Townsman (uncredited)
- John Bose as Townsman (uncredited)
- John Breen as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bill Clark as Townsman (uncredited)
- Betty Endicott as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
- Herschel Graham as Juror (uncredited)
- Michael Jeffers as Townsman (uncredited)
- Martha Manor as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
- Rod McGaughy as Townsman (uncredited)
- Bob Miles as Townsman (uncredited)
- Ernesto Molinari as Juror (uncredited)
- Fred Rapport as Juror (uncredited)
- Tony Regan as Juror (uncredited)
- Danny Sands as Townsman (uncredited)
- Phil Schumacher as Juror (uncredited)
- Amzie Strickland as Lady in audience (uncredited)
- Jack Tornek as Trial Spectator (uncredited)
- Sid Troy as Bailiff (uncredited)
- Max Wagner as Juror (uncredited)
Full Story Line for A Passion for Justice
Ben extends an invitation to Charles Dickens, inviting him to Virginia City to conduct a reading from “Oliver Twist” as part of his lecture tour throughout America. During his stay at the Ponderosa, he becomes incensed by the townsfolk’s indifference towards the unauthorized distribution of his stories, which lack protection under copyright laws.
The newspaper’s office is vandalized upon confronting the local newspaper publisher about the issue. With his reputation already tarnished among the townsfolk, Dickens is wrongly blamed for the ensuing violence.
Full Script and Dialogue of A Passion for Justice
[CHATTERING] Excuse me. Uh, what are all these people doing here? I'm so excited I can hardly wait. Oh! Uh, well? The stage will be on time. Henry said the stage is on time, ladies. It'll be here any moment. - You didn't answer my question. - Please. What's all the commotion about? Is there gonna be a hanging? - Ugh. We are all waiting for Boz. - Boz? What's Boz? Ah, Boz happens to be none other than Charles Dickens. Oh, what do they want him for? What'd he do? What has he done, heh? Mr. Dickens has written some distinguished novels, that's what he's done. Well, they shouldn't ought to hang a man for that. Impossible man, heh. Oh, there's Mr. Cartwright. I do hope he has a nice welcoming speech ready for Boz. Um... [CLEARS THROAT] Mr. Dickens, on behalf of myself and... On behalf of the Virginia City Literary Society, - myself and my sons... - No, no, Pa. Pa, go easy with that part because you don't wanna sound like one of those Carson City senators. - Oh! - No, no, easy, easy. Joseph, it isn't every day you welcome a man like Mr. Dickens to Virginia City. Why not say something simple to him like, uh... Like, "Howdy, Mr. Dickens"? Let him think the rest for himself. TROTTER: Oh, oh, oh, Mr. Cartwright. - Morning. - Are we all ready for Mr. Dickens? - Well, I... As ready as we can be, I suppose, heh. Mr. Cartwright. Great day for Virginia City. - Yes, it certainly is. - You care to join me. Oh, it's a bit early for that, isn't it, Danny? Must you? This is no occasion for drinking, Mr. Stoker. Half the town is drunk already. Oh, Mr. Dickens ain't gonna mind, ma'am. He's a real broadminded gent, is old Charlie. Charlie? - Do you know him? - Of course I know him. Him and me's both born in Portsmouth, England, you know. Wait till he sees a fellow Englishman here in Virginia City. It's gonna be a real reunion. Hands across the sea. MAN 1: Stage is coming! MAN 2: Hyah! Whoa! Hello, Mr. Dickens. Dan Stoker's the name, a fellow countryman. In that case, what are you doing here? - Are you an ex-patriot? - Oh, no, sir. I'm a printer. Born in Portsmouth, just like you. - Hands across the sea. - Thank you, my good man. And you'll find a still larger bag on the stage. [BEN CLEARS THROAT] Welcome to Virginia City, Mr. Dickens. I'm, uh, Ben Cartwright. I liked your letter inviting me here, Mr. Cartwright. - Thank you. - It piqued my curiosity. Oh, uh, ahem. Mr. Dickens, on behalf of mys... Uh. On behalf of the Virginia City Literary Society, my sons and myself, I want to take this opportunity to welcome you to Virginia City. I'm certain that your presence on the stage of our social hall will be a, uh... - memorable one. - Yes, yes, quite so. However, Mr. Cartwright, at this point, I feel a warm bath would be far more welcome than a welcoming speech. So if you would direct me to whatever serves as a hotel in your community. Uh, this way, Mr. Dickens, sir. [SIGHS] Wanna read the speech to me? A counsel was held, lots were cast who should walk up to the master after supper that evening and ask for more. And it fell to Oliver Twist. Child as he was, Oliver Twist was desperate with hunger and reckless with misery. He rose from the table, and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: "Please sir, I want some more." The master was a fat healthy man, but he turned very pale. "What?" said the master in a faint voice. "Please, sir," said Oliver, "I want some more." The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head, pinioned him in his arms and shrieked aloud for Mr. Bumble the beadle. [ALL CHUCKLE] The workhouse board was sitting in solemn conclave when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement and addressed the gentleman in the high chair. "Mr. Limbkins, beg your pardon, sir. Oliver Twist has asked for more." "For more," said Mr. Limbkins. "Answer me distinctly, Bumble. Do I understand that he asked for more after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?" "He did, sir," replied Bumble. "That boy will be hung," said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. I know that boy will be hung. I know that boy will be... [APPLAUSE] [ALL LAUGHING] I note that a great number of you are more than a little familiar with my work. We sure are, Mr. Dickens. In other words, you have not only read Oliver Twist, - you have memorized it? - Yes, sir. [ALL LAUGH] Uh, not only that, Mr. Dickens, but we're also following The Old Curiosity Shop. And we all pray that you don't let Little Nell die. Your devotion to my work might be an honor, madam, were it not for the fact that I have never given America the right to publish my writings. But it seems that certain unscrupulous American publishers have stolen my work and distributed it wholesale. Even in places as remote as this unimportant mining hamlet. I need hardly say that I find your participation in my reading completely without merit and a thoroughly disgraceful example of impertinence. [CHATTERING] Oh, come on, Charlie. Quit the preaching. Let's have some more of little Oliver. [ALL SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] There will be no more of Oliver or of anything else. [MAN COUGHS] My performance is over. [CHATTERING] We want some more little Oliver! We paid to hear for little Oliver. He can't get away with this. Come on, fellas. Pa, you want me to call Mr. Dickens down for breakfast? No, let him sleep. He'll get more sleep than he would in that hotel in Virginia City. Heh, people in Virginia City had their way, they'd give him some sleep for a long time. Yeah. Kind of sore that I allowed myself to be talked into inviting him here in the first place. Yeah, but, Pa, he was good. I'll tell you, when he was reading that thing about that little Oliver Twist. I dang near bawled. I sure would like to know how - that thing came out. - Oh. Hey, listen to this. Joseph, will you eat your breakfast first, please? "Mr. Charles Dickens in dramatic reading at the social hall." Big thing here. "Last night, the citizens of Virginia City turned out to a man at the Social Hall to hear Mr. Charles Dickens, celebrated English novelist, enchant us with dramatic readings from his novels. We were enchanted, true, but only up to a point." Heh, but here's where they really give it to him, ha, ha. "Then we were disenchanted and disillusioned." - Ahem, uh, Joseph. - "Halfway through the performance, Mr. Dickens stopped the reading and..." I'll give you the paper in a minute. "Mr. Dickens stopped the reading and then proceeded to say that Virginia City was an un-important mining hamlet. [WHISTLES] We found Mr. Dickens, the celebrated English novelist, to be quite rude. We also found..." - Uh, found this big sale here, Dad. - Let me see that, young man. Grossly insulting. No sense of justice at all! Imagine, mocking me on the stage like the barbarians they are and then condemning me. No, I don't think they were mocking you, Mr. Dickens. By reading along with you, they were just telling you, in their own way, how much they like your work. Bare-faced theft. A further installment of The Old Curiosity Shop. That's where that dreadful woman read about it. Oh, names misspelled, dialogue mutilated. I have never given a common newspaper anywhere permission to publish my work. Oh, it's not that I care about the money. It's the principle of the thing. Well, if the people like your work, and you don't care about the money, doesn't that sort of take care of the principle? Nonsense, my boy. It's not a matter of my personal considerations. It is a question of justice. I am going to tell the editor of this penny dreadful what I think of him. Adam, ahem, I think you'd better go along with Mr. Dickens. Sam Walker has a pretty good temper of his own. [DOOR CLOSES] Thank you very much for reading us that newsworthy item, Joseph. Now will you finish your breakfast? Hyah, hyah. Hyah. Whoa, there. - Well, here we are. - I've enjoyed your company, Adam. It's rare to find someone in these parts who can discuss books intelligently. But this is a matter I prefer to handle alone. Well, I just thought I'd introduce you to Sam. Is it possible he doesn't know who I am? Well, it's possible, but I thought I'd introduce you anyway. Morning, Sam. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Never mind the formalities, Adam. I know this gentleman quite well. It's a pleasure to have you visit my small shop, Mr. Dickens. The feeling is not mutual. I am not here to discuss your notice of my performance last night. That is freedom of the press, I suppose. But this. This pirated passage from my work. I want to know by what authority you dare to publish it. Well, seems like I didn't need much authority. I liked the story, so I printed it. I did send $25 to a Chicago publisher for the right to print his version. Of all the impudence. His version. His rights. What about my rights? Hear, hear, Boz. You tell him. Did you hear that, Mr. Walker? What about his rights? Always on the side of what's fair, I am, Boz. Only my friends are allowed to call me Boz. Get back to work, Dan. Mr. Dickens, you know publishing as well or better than I do, so you should know that without an international agreement on copyright you haven't a leg to stand on. So should we forget all this and you and Adam be my guests over at the hotel for lunch? Sir, this will be the last installment of my work to appear in your paper, is that understood? Sorry, I can't buy that. Disappoint too many readers. But I'll tell you what I will do. I'm running Pickwick Papers after The Old Curiosity Shop. The devil you are. And, just to be fair, I'll give you the $25 instead of sending it to Chicago. - Did you hear that, Adam? - Sounds reasonable to me. Bah! Walker, you will stop publication of my work as of today or I shall see to it that your paper is closed down and your name discredited from here to New York! I'm sorry, I can't oblige. You see, there's so many people threatening to close me up that getting the same threat from you is quite an honor. Bah! SAM: Oh, Mr. Dickens. I hope you're not going to let Little Nell die. If it disappoints you, she will. Well, I knew you wouldn't get very far with Sam. Citizens of Virginia City, may I have your attention, please. - What are you doing? - Demanding justice. I'm gonna tell them the kind of man Sam Walker is. This is not the way to do it. Sam Walker is a very popular man here. These people will ride you out of town on a rail. For expressing my views in a free country? Citizens of Virginia City, you all know who I am. I appeal to you as fair-minded Americans. The editor of that paper is a pirate. Like the worst kind of buccaneer on the high seas, he has plundered me of my property. He is a brigand, a highwayman, a freebooter. And all of you are little better if you support him. I demand, as a simple matter of justice, that you stop buying his paper. [CLAMORING] Pipe down, lime juicer! MAN 1: Tell it to the queen. MAN 2: Go on back to England. MAN 1: Yeah, go back where you belong. [SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] MAN 2: Tell it to the queen. Where is your sense of justice? Is that man to be allowed to...? Mr. Dickens. Mr. Dickens! Would you autograph this book, Mr. Dickens, for a fellow countryman? Always on your side, you know. Uh, Dan Stoker's the name. Hey, what you doing to my book? I'm destroying it, my good man. It's contraband. Eh? Hyah! - Where have you been? - See what you done, Mr. Walker? Turned him against his fellow countryman. He'd have autographed this if you hadn't turned him nasty. Let me see that. Why, this is my property, not yours. It ain't your property either. That's contraband, that's what that is. Do you realize what you've done? Most of this is missing. It'll take me two weeks to get another copy from Chicago. Yeah, you can't blame me for that, Mr. Walker. I never tore up the book. It was Dickens what done it. I've had just about all I can take from your toadying and your drinking. Now get out of here, and this time, stay out. You bet I will. You're no better than what he is. Him with his grand airs and his books, and you with your picayune newspaper. Out of my way, Tim. I'm getting out of here. This ain't no place for an honest gentleman. Adam, where's Mr. Dickens? [SIGHS] Well, he's had his fill of Virginia City. And, uh, he's waiting for tonight's stage east. What happened down at the newspaper? Well, he didn't get anywhere with Sam, so he tried it out on the crowd. Oh, and? Same thing at the theater, only on a smaller scale. I just hope he stays in his hotel room and, uh, keeps out of trouble. Ugh... We invited him here, we... I guess right after supper we should go in town and see what's happening. [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING] [DICKENS READING ON-SCREEN TEXT] Well. Did you have anything to do with this? Undoubtedly. Splendid illustration of poetic justice. Don't you agree? Now, I don't know about the poetic part, but I'm gonna have to take you in. - Now, come on. - Sir, are you quite insane? SHERIFF: Suppose we let the judge decide that. Release me, sir! Release me at once you hear, or take the consequences! Release me, sir, you hear. Release me at once. Sheriff. Sheriff! Sheriff, for the last time, I shall not tolerate this. Sheriff, I demand that you send at once for the English ambassador! Ben, I had to lock him up. He admitted responsibility. DICKENS: Sheriff! Ah, thank heaven you're here. Not only have I been held incommunicado, but in a cubicle obviously reserved for common felons. Now, if this overzealous official will release me at once, I'll agree not to prefer charges. Well? Well, Mr. Dickens, I know that there's been a very bad mistake. But, uh, the fact of the matter is that charges have been preferred against you. - By Sam Walker. - What charges? Willful and malicious destruction of property. Preposterous. Sir, every hour that I am unlawfully detained makes your position more and more perilous. But, Mr. Dickens, the sheriff tells me that this whole thing can be cleared up right now if you'll only tell him what you were doing at the Enterprise office this evening. I shall tell him nothing. - All it requires is a simple explanation. - It may seem simple to you, Adam, but if I explain, I automatically admit that my presence at the Enterprise was suspicious, and as I hope you know, Adam, I am above suspicion. Now, how much longer is this sorry jest going to continue? Now, you listen to me, Roy, you know very well he couldn't have done it. No, I don't know. Look he ain't stopped shooting off his mouth ever since he come to our town. He's been doing nothing but criticizing conditions here, he's inciting the people to close up Sam Walker's paper - and he's telling me how to run my jail. - Oh, he's not... Oh, Ben, I wouldn't put it past him to wreck that Territorial Enterprise just out of sheer cussedness. - All right, all right, all right. - All right. Now, will you do something for me? - What? - Release him in my custody. - Ben, the folks ain't gonna like that. - I'll take full responsibility. Will you also guarantee to have him show up at his trial? He'll show up at his trial. All right. All right, Dickens. You're out on Ben Cartwright's say-so. - That is, until the trial. - What trial? What trial? Listen, I'll, uh... I'll explain that to you. Fetch my hat. God save the queen. "Fetch my hat." - Had about enough? - By no means. Ah! Splendid country. Hard work, clear mountain air, the scent of pine. A tonic for the soul as well as the body. You know, Mr. Dickens, you'd be mighty welcome to stay on here permanent if you liked. Thank you, Hoss. It is a temptation. But, unfortunately, men have a way of spoiling even the best of things. Mr. Dickens, there's something you don't quite cotton to, and maybe I can explain it to you. Folks around here, well, they judge a man for what he is, not what he was in some other place, whether he was good or bad. You figured everybody ought to like you because of your reputation, but the fact is, all they care about is what they see in you now. And what do they see? Well, it's sort of hard for them to understand why you get so touchy about that copyright business. I mean, after you yourself said that the money didn't amount to nothing. Sort of hard for me to understand, as a matter of fact. Hoss, all this land, your land, you love it very much, don't you? Yes, sir. Then suppose, just for the moment suppose, there were no laws to protect your land, that anybody could come along and take all or part of it. What would you do? Why, my Pa poured his life into this land, Mr. Dickens. I reckon we'd have to fight for it. Then you do understand, Hoss. I've poured my life into what I write. And I have to fight for it. Yeah. I don't reckon I ever looked at it like that. Few people do. They fail to realize how much a writer gives of himself. How much of his soul is locked into every word. Most men better themselves as they grow older. My father did just the opposite. Many months of my early childhood were spent with him... in debtor's prison. Then, later, still a small child, I graduated to a blacking factory, filling bottles with shoe blacking for a few pence a week in a dingy basement room. I was sure it was going to be my future, that there'd be nothing else. Many of the stories that amuse and entertain you came out of the struggles and deprivations of those years. You know, maybe if you'd just explain it that way to them then folks would understand, Mr. Dickens. I have never chosen to expose my private emotions to the world, and I certainly don't intend to start now. Come, Hoss. There's work to be done. - Well, hello, Tim. TIM: Howdy, Mr. Cartwright. Let me give you a hand there. [ADAM SIGHS] - Sure is a mess, isn't it? - Yeah. Mr. Walker said it'd take about three weeks to get the place back in working order. Somebody had to get pretty riled up to do this to Sam. Any trouble with some of your readers lately? Only that Mr. Dickens. - Where's Dan? - Mr. Walker fired him again. This time I think it's for good. When was that? The day that you and Mr. Dickens were in here. You know, Dan's a real good printer when he's sober. And how often is that? Not very often, Mr. Cartwright. Eh, thanks, Tim. - Sam. - Oh, the great liberator. I tell you, the Cartwright's have got themselves quite a cause in Charles Dickens. Look, Sam, this whole thing is wrong. I don't think Dickens is any more capable of, uh, wrecking your place than I am. Have some lunch? Look, now, as the editor of the Enterprise, you undoubtedly have made some enemies in this town. Now, uh, isn't it just possible that somebody else might have done it? Well, Dickens was found in the shop, not somebody else. Look, if Dickens will admit that he wrecked my shop and pay the damages, I'll drop the charges. Now, is that fair enough? Well, not if he didn't have anything to do with it. Now, all we have to do is to get Mr. Dickens to tell us why he was at the Territorial office. That ain't gonna be easy. You know how he is. Well, we gotta try. DICKENS: Try? What are you going to try? Well, we're gonna try to get you to explain what you were doing at the Enterprise. My dear sir, I have no intention of contributing anything further to the outcome of this farce. Now, if one of you young gentlemen would be kind enough of to assist me with the valise in my room. Now, hold on there. You saying you're, uh... You're leaving here before the trial? Yes, I do. Even though I personally guaranteed your appearance at that trial. That's right, Mr. Cartwright, so you did. This will play the devil with my timetable. Still, I can't but admire your respect for the law. Even though the law is usually an ass. Now, Jeb, you haven't formed an opinion on this case, have you? Nope. You wouldn't be afraid of bringing in a verdict of guilty just because the defendant happens to be a famous English author, would you? Ha, ha, I wouldn't be afeared if it was Billy Shakespeare himself. [ALL LAUGHING] All right, Jeb, you're fine with me. That completes the jury for the plaintiff, Your Honor. Is the defendant going to challenge the qualifications of this juror? I haven't challenged any of the others, My Lord. Dickens, we don't have lords and ladies in this country. From now on you'll address the bench as "Your Honor", like everyone else. This, uh, person needs counsel, Ben. Your Honor, I tried to get him to engage a lawyer... but he refuses. All right, Rogers, proceed for the plaintiff. And then the defendant demanded, with threats, that Sam Walker discontinue publication of a certain piece of writing known as The Old Curiosity Shop. Not a certain piece of writing, sir, my piece of writing. Don't interrupt, Dickens. You'll get your turn. And when all his vocal efforts failed, the defendant resorted to a shameful act of violence. In the dead of night, like some marauding redskin, he stole into the office of the plaintiff's newspaper and he wrecked every piece of equipment in the establishment. A wanton and vindictive act that will take many thousands of dollars to repair. Now, gentlemen of the jury, there is only one verdict you can bring in when I have proven all these facts. The defendant has attempted to bludgeon Sam Walker and the citizens of Virginia City into submission to his arrogant and illegal demands. Now, if you arrive at a verdict of guilty as charged, then you will be known throughout the world as true Americans. [GAVEL BANGING] By Jove, that man was almost as good as Sergeant Buzfuz in my own Pickwick Papers. All right, now, Dickens, we'll hear from you. - No comment, Your Honor. - Didn't ask for comment. Just want you to open for the defense in the proper manner. There is nothing proper in this whole proceeding, Your Honor. I have no intention of lending myself to a trial here. This is a star chamber, and it is quite obvious to me that you already consider me guilty. You're guilty, all right. Guilty of contempt. That'll be $10. Now, sit down. [ALL LAUGHING] Now, look, let me ask for a continuance and get you a lawyer, or at least tell the judge what you were doing at the Enterprise office that night. I've already said all I intend to say, Mr. Cartwright. Now, Dickens, are you gonna stand up and say a few words for yourself before I give this case to the jury? I have nothing to say. All right, gentlemen, it looks like that does it. You can retire to the back room to consider the verdict. Four minutes. That ought to set some kind of a record. Yeah. Sure ought to. [SIGHS] It's guilty as charged. Just the verdict I expected. [GAVEL BANGS] Or asked for. JUDGE: The defendant has been found guilty. He will pay the plaintiff, uh, let me see, $1260 plus the cost of the action, and don't forget the $10 I fined you for contempt. Court's adjourned. [GALLERY MURMURING] Not one penny, sir. I'll not pay a single penny. You prefer jail? For the rest of my life, if necessary, rather than submit to this mockery of justice. Your Honor, I know that Mr. Dickens is innocent of the charge. You got proof? - Well, no, not yet, but... - Do what's needful, bailiff. [GALLERY CHATTERING] Well, I guess we showed that fella a thing or two, huh? [CHATTERING] Exactly what do you think you showed that fella? He was asking for it, and we sure gave it to him. We sure did. Yeah, you gave it to him. [LAUGHING] Heh, you sure gave it to him. You listen to me, all of you. Now, Mr. Dickens came to Virginia City as my guest. He came here as a guest of a Virginia City club. He gave a performance in this very hall which you all enjoyed. He didn't finish it because when he tried to tell you what he thought about people who pirated his works you howled him down. Now, I don't think he was right not to finish his performance. And I don't think he was right to say what he did to Sam Walker. But that's not the point. Mr. Dickens is in jail right now not because he's guilty and not because he can't afford to pay, but because he's a bull-headed man who'll fight the world if he thinks that somebody is rustling his rights. Just as every one of you would. But one thing he's not is a sniveling coyote who would take his spite out on somebody else's property. And when that sniveling hooligan who did wreck the Enterprise office is caught... and he will be... I look forward to seeing every one of you hang your head in shame. Pa, you want me to take Mr. Dickens' stuff into jail to him in the morning. Yeah, might as well. My American Notes, by Charles Dickens. - Hey, Pa. BEN: Hmm. Come here a minute. Look at that. "Dear Dickens, I'm ready to come to terms. Let's talk it over in my office this evening. S. Walker." That's funny that Sam wouldn't have mentioned this note. - Probably because he didn't write it. - Then who did? Well, I got a pretty good idea. I think I know how to handle this. HOSS: This here's a little petition that a bunch of us are getting together to get Mr. Dickens out of jail. That's on account of him being such a famous man and all. We figured you being a countryman of his, you'd sure wanna sign it. Well, he, uh... He ain't been very nice to me, you know. Still seeing as how he's been found guilty, I suppose I can be as merciful as anybody else. There you are. Adam. What's going on? Just making sure there's no mistake. - You wrote this. - No, I never. I never wrote nothing. Look at it. That's your handwriting. Well? Oh, so what? That don't prove nothing. I think you'd better have a little talk with the sheriff. I ain't going to jail for the likes of Dickens. Throw out your guns. Come on. Come on. I'll shoot, I tell you. I'm not joking. Sheriff. Yeah, what is it this time? I shall need more writing paper, at least a ream. And more pencils. [CHATTERING] Jeb, what's this? Start counting up the collections, sheriff. And if that ain't enough, we'll get more. - Enough for what? - For Mr. Dickens. For the damage to the Enterprise and that $10 fine the judge hung on him. Hmm. - All right, Dickens, you're free. - Not now, not now. - Did you say I was free? - That's what I said. I wondered how long it would take you people to come to your senses. I shall send for my things. Why are all these people here? We just paid up your reckoning, Mr. Dickens. Why? Well, we don't know whether you done like they say, but we do like the way you stuck by your guns. Yes, sir, Mr. Dickens. Takes a real man not to weaken when it's all gone against him. And another thing. That there Oliver Twist you was playing out for us in the social hall, [CHUCKLES] we sure had a lot of fun listening, even though you didn't finish. And some of us figured it ain't right you being in jail. Not when you give so much pleasure to people. So we sprung you. [CHATTERING] My dear fellow, do you know what these fine people have done? They've paid my reckoning. I'm free. Sheriff, I think you'd best give these good people back their money. What? [SNAPS FINGERS] Danny. All right, I'm the man you want. - Come on, Stoker. - Take your hands off me. Mr. Dickens, being as it's all straightened out, maybe you would consider, uh, finishing where you left off on little Oliver, please. I should be delighted. DICKENS: "Mr. Brownlow adopted Oliver as his son, removing with him and the old housekeeper to within a mile of a parsonage house where his dear friends resided. He gratified the only remaining wish of Oliver's warm and earnest heart, and thus linked together a little society who's condition approached as nearly to one of perfect happiness as can ever be known in this changing world." More! Thank you. Dear, dear friends, thank you. Like my hero, Oliver Twist, you have asked for more. Unlike the gentleman in the white waistcoat, I am very grateful. The more so since you have reminded me of a certain piece of magnificent writing not my own which I had almost forgotten. It was written upon another occasion when an Englishman and some Americans... misunderstood each other. I would like to recite it to you. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the Earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's god entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Words. Even words as eloquent as these can often be distant and cold. It was not until I reached this unimportant mining hamlet [ALL LAUGH] that I realized that men do actually live by the spirit of justice contained in these words. As Mr. Bumble the beadle might say: "May your worships be happy and healthy and flourish everlasting." [ALL LAUGH] And as for myself, I shall never forget what I have learned here in America, nor will I cease to be grateful for the uncommon generosity you have shown to a poor misguided Englishman. Bravo!
Behind the Scenes of A Passion for Justice
Jonathan Harris portrays Charles Dickens, who indeed embarked on book reading tours across the United States from December 1867 to April 1868. However, it’s worth noting that he primarily visited New York and Boston during his tour.
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Bonanza provides wholesome entertainment suitable for individual enjoyment or family gatherings. A Passion for Justice stands as the 136th episode out of a total of 430. Produced by NBC, Bonanza graced their network from September 1959 to January 1973, spanning 14 seasons.
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