“I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For” quotes from Deadwood

A.W. Merrick

It was gunfire, and it came from your saloon.

Al Swearengen

Has not the press a duty, Merrick, qualifying its accounts in time of war?

A.W. Merrick

Are we at war now here in the camp? Has that fact been suppressed as well? Absent formal declaration, Al, information which affects this community is not my prerogative to disseminate. To do so is my sacred responsibility.

Al Swearengen

Whores currently disseminating a dose, for example?

A.W. Merrick

To inform within decency's limits. We've had this discussion before.

Al Swearengen

Citizens better die postulating than touch indecent ink.

A.W. Merrick

Make a list of the infected whores and account for this morning's gunfire, and I'll publish it all.

Al Swearengen

I won't, fucking Merrick, because neither's to my fucking interests.

Hearst

To labor without pleasure makes us our destiny's slaves.

Swearengen

To work for crumbs or to keep from the lash says maybe a slave's what you are.

Hearst

Accepting your premise, Mr. Swearengen, I'll not name how you would benefit from the action I wish you to take, saying only instead it's my will. To which I will have you bend.

Farnum

Puberty may bring you to understand what we take for mother-love is really murderous hatred and a desire for revenge.

Dan

I'm older, and I'm much less friendly to fuckin' change.

Al Swearengen

Change ain't lookin' for friends. Change calls the tune we dance to.

Silas Adams

I just.. I feel shunted aside or the like, not involved as much as previous.

Al Swearengen

Adams, you were busy with Star.

Silas Adams

That you sent me off to see.

Al Swearengen

Thinking you'd be back before time for the murders.

Silas Adams

So it wasn't like a decision you made to have the murders while I was signing the papers?

Al Swearengen

You've no idea how fuckin' badly you're boring me. [Knock at the door] Yeah?

Dan Dority

That captain's brought over another envelope.

Al Swearengen

[To Silas] Won't you see with me what this might portend?

Johnny Burns

What's Al doing?

Dan Dority

Like I fuckin' know.

Silas Adams

If we was trailing water, we might get took for ducklings.

A.W. Merrick

These last months have made me expert. It was gunfire, and it came from your saloon.

Al Swearengen

Has not the press a duty, Merrick, qualifying its accounts in time of war?

A.W. Merrick

Are we at war now here in the camp? Has that fact been suppressed as well? Absent formal declaration, Al, information which affects this community is not my prerogative to disseminate. To do so is my sacred responsibility.

Al Swearengen

Whores currently disseminating a dose, for example?

A.W. Merrick

To inform within decency's limits. We've had this discussion before.

Al Swearengen

Citizens better die postulating than touch indecent ink.

A.W. Merrick

Make a list of the infected whores and account for this morning's gunfire, and I'll publish it all.

Al Swearengen

I won't, fucking Merrick, because neither's to my fucking interests. Just as you owning a print press proves only an interest in the truth, meaning up to a fucking point, slightly more than us others maybe, but short of a fucking anointing or the shouldering of a sacred burden - unless of course the print press was gift of an angel. I'd want to be there for that hand-off myself. Maybe you should print an extra saying the speeches are on again.