Stone Cutters Petition on their wages 1795

When they looked to Europe for workers, the president and the commissioners yearned for stonecutters because they feared those already in America "could command their price."

Quote from Slave Labor in the Capital, page 85

In 1794 and 1795 the commissioners tried to reduce their labor costs by forcing stone workers to do piece-work or accept lower wages. The petition below is a scan of a photocopy I took from the microfilm of the commissioners' records in the National Archives. As you can see the microfilmer improperly copied the letter and I think mislabeled it. I don't think it was sent to Congress, but was sent to the commissioners.

Stonecutters worked throughout the winter in sheds by the Capitol and White House preparing stone for the masons to set when weather permitted. It is unclear if the commissioners lowered their wage for the remainder of the winter or permanently. The stonecutters argued that they crossed "the western ocean" attracted by good wages. The evidence of Washington's, Jefferson's and the commissioners' desire to get indentured skilled workers is in the published writing of Washington and Jefferson. I share this letter to show the skilled workers' view which in essence was this: by emigrating to America to help build a republican government they were entitled to respect. Our Founders wanted to force them to pay their dues.