The issue on the table, France is on the verge of war with England
And do we provide aid and troops to our French allies
Or do we stay out of it, remember
My decision on this matter is not subject to congressional approval
The only person you have to convince is me
Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, sir

When we were on death's door, when we were needy
We made a promise, we signed a treaty
We needed money and guns and half a chance
Who provided those funds

France

In return, they didn't ask for land
Only a promise that we'd lend a hand
And stand with them if they fought against oppressors
And revolution is messy but now is the time to stand
Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny
I know that Alexander Hamilton is here and he
Would rather not have this debate
I'll remind you that he is not Secretary of State
He knows nothing of loyalty
Smells like new money, dresses like fake royalty
Desperate to rise above his station
Everything he does betrays the ideals of our nation

Ooh

Hey, and if ya don't know, now ya know, Mister President

Thank you, Secretary Jefferson

Secretary Hamilton, your response

You must be out of your Goddamn mind if you think
The President is gonna bring the nation to the brink
Of meddling in the middle of a military mess
A game of chess, where France is Queen and Kingless
We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket
Would you like to take it out and ask it
Should we honor our treaty, King Louis' head
Uh do whatever you want, I'm super dead

Enough, Hamilton is right

Mister President

We're too fragile to start another fight

But sir, do we not fight for freedom

Sure, when the French figure out who's gonna lead 'em

The people are leading

The people are rioting
There's a difference, frankly
It's a little disquieting you would let your ideals blind you to reality
Hamilton

Sir

Draft a statement of neutrality

Did you forget Lafayette

What

Have you an ounce of regret
You accumulate debt, you accumulate power
Yet in their hour of need, you forget

Lafayette's a smart man, he'll be fine
And before he was your friend, he was mine
If we try to fight in every revolution in the world, we never stop
Where do we draw the line

So quick witted

Alas, I admit it

I bet you were quite a lawyer

My defendants got acquitted

Yeah, well, someone oughta remind you

What

You're nothing without Washington behind you

Hamilton

Daddy's calling

Copyright: Cloud9, Downtown Music Publishing, JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): Christopher Wallace, James Mtume, Jean Claude Olivier, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sean Puffy Combs