Severe penalties would be wasted on these people, accustomed as they have been to the most violent passions on the part of white men; but a mild inexorableness tells on them, just as it does on any other children.

It is something utterly new to me, and it is thus far perfectly efficacious.

They have a great deal of pride as soldiers, and a very little of severity goes a great way, if it be firm and consistent.

This is very encouraging.
The single question which I asked of some of the plantation superintendents, on the voyage, was, "Do these people appreciate _justice_ ?" If they did it was evident that all the rest would be easy.
When a race is degraded beyond that point it must be very hard to deal with them; they must mistake all kindness for indulgence, all strictness for cruelty.

With these freed slaves there is no such trouble, not a particle: let an officer be only just and firm, with a cordial, kindly nature, and he has no sort of difficulty.