As a discussion group, your goal is to answer all of the questions together! Participation in the discussion is worth up to 25 points. The documents are also in the week 9 module.
Discussion questions: Commonwealth v. Pullis and Commonwealth v. Hunt
Answer any one question about Patrick Grubbs, “Cordwainers Trial of 1806,”
- Why did journeymen cordwainers (shoemakers) in Philadelphia form the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers in 1794? What strategies did they use to meet their objectives?
- Why did the masters (the cordwainers’ employers) take the member of the Federal Society to court?
- What were the roles of federalist and democratic-republican politics during the Commonwealth v. Pullistrial?
Answer both questions….
- In Commonwealth v. Pullis (1806), what were the main arguments the judge made in his instructions to the jury?
- What were the main arguments Chief Justice Shaw made in Commonwealth v. Hunt(1842)? How did his ruling differ from Commonwealth v. Pullis?
Week 9 Discussion: the Philadelphia Cordwainers, the Lynn Bootmakers, and the right to form a union in the 1800s – Discussion Group 1
Cordwainers Trail of 1806
2. Why did the masters (the cordwainers’ employers) take the member of the Federal Society to court?
Shoemaking is one of the most profitable trades in Philadelphia by the 18th and early 19th century. Dissension of the trade mainly worsens the climax of the Philadelphia Cordwainers (shoemakers) Trial of 1806. Therefore, this trial proved the contest that took place between journeymen and laborers and the master of shoemakers with a trail of the Federalist Society as compared with the Jefferson ideals. Therefore, the ultimate decision that upheld the Federalist notions while creating a notion about the property, on a firm basis is a place by the United States course to enhance the Industrial manufacturing labor wage. Thus, this proved to be one of the significant trials based on American labor history. Apart from this, by the year 1792, the societies of journeymen mainly grew up throughout the city, and by the year 1794, they were involved with the Federal Society of the Journeymen Cordwainers of Philadelphia that organizes and protects wages, which is significant for the workers” the scab labor”. Therefore, the workers mainly agreed to work at low wages. Apart from this, the societies proved to be effective enough that the workers received an increase in wage by the year 1798 before it failed by the 1799 strike mainly deprived of a general reduction, soon after this, the master began to take orders to make boots and shoes to send them to South. Therefore, the masters immediately declined to fall by the time in 1805 with the journeymen shoemakers initiated the strike which lasted nearly for a week. Moreover, the shoemaker based on the matter of the court by the year 1805, while Philadelphia that grand the jury to indicate on the charges with a combination of the criminal conspiracy that increases the wages that brought out the strike to an abrupt change (Grubbs, 2016).
Commonwealth v. Pullis and Commonwealth v. Hunt
1. In Commonwealth v. Pullis (1806), what were the main arguments the judge made in his instructions to the jury?
The judges mainly introduce the two sides of the court, in order to learn about the matter. However, this side main projects toward society, which begins the judge to say about the notion that stated about the union that created the workers in order to take a stand based on the ground-based wages that took place within the courtroom. Thus, the workers have been fighting individually, as they have been working and are deprived of a change of mind. Commonwealth v. Pullis (1806), creates an argument that is related to the workmen in order to raise the wages to consider the twofold point of view that benefits themselves. Therefore, the rule of law mainly condemns comprehending the principle which cannot be rejected by the will of the majority. Therefore, the judges mainly mention the spirit that spoke up on a general note, so that they can get individual liberty. The judges continue to receive everything which is entitled of asking about legal rights. Thus, this left the judges to make a decision that results in developing an indication of the guilty verdict.
2. What were the main arguments Chief Justice Shaw made in Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)? How did his ruling differ from Commonwealth v. Pullis?
The main arguments made by Chief Justice Shaw can be noticed based on a general note under the Common Law, which deals with the matter of the criminal harm done to the general public while bringing the Right to an Individual. Chief Justice Shaw mainly stated about the common law on the criminal and to learn about the indictable offense which is confederated as well s it is combined to concert the unlawful or criminal acts which are made for the public or to the portions or class of community-based on the Rights to the individual. Therefore, the court judge mentioned the workers who can join the community based on an unlawful act with malicious or tricky intent behind it. Therefore, the evidence is manifested with the purpose of who can judge or disagree with the ruling made under Commonwealth v. Pullis. As a result, the judge mainly stated about the criminal offense that concluded about the association who can be determined on the legal aspect to learn about the intent to learn about the power who can misuse the flawless understanding. Therefore, he claimed the formation of a society that deals with an illegal Common Law that stated the formation of a lawful society without any criminal intention.
References
Grubbs P. (2016). Cordwainers Trial of 1806. Encyclopaedia of Greater Philadelphia. Retrieved from https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/cordwainers-trial-of-1806/[ Retrieved on 20th March, 2022]
