by the employers against the laborers, and principally consist, (as hitherto,) of breaches of contract; but I am happy to observe, that a diminution of dissatisfaction on this head even, has taken place, as will be seen by the accompanying general return of offences reported.

    Your honor’s most obedient, humble servant,

    Richard S. Wickham, Superintendent of police.”

NINTH PROPOSITION.—­The negroes are more easily managed as freemen than they were when slaves.

On this point as well as on every other connected with the system of slavery, public opinion in Antigua has undergone an entire revolution, since 1834.  It was then a common maxim that the peculiar characteristics of the negro absolutely required a government of terror and brute force.

The Governor said, “The negroes are as a race remarkable for docility; they are very easily controlled by kind influence.  It is only necessary to gain their confidence, and you can sway them as you please.”

“Before emancipation took place, I dreaded the consequence of abolishing the power of compelling labor, but I have since found by experience that forbearance and kindness are sufficient for all purposes of authority.  I have seldom had any trouble in managing my people.  They consider me their friend, and the expression of my wish is enough for them.  Those planters who have retained their harsh manner do not succeed under the new system.  The people will not bear it.”—­Mr. J. Howell.

“I find it remarkably easy to manage my people.  I govern them entirely by mildness.  In every instance in which managers have persisted in their habits of arbitrary command, they have failed.  I have lately been obliged to discharge a manager from one of the estates under my direction, on account of his overbearing disposition.  If I had not dismissed him, the people would have abandoned the estate en masse.”—­Dr. Daniell.

“The management of an estate under the free system is a much lighter business than it used to be.  We do not have the trouble to get the people to work, or to keep them in order.”—­Mr. Favey.

“Before the abolition of slavery, I thought it would be utterly impossible to manage my people without tyrannizing over them as usual, and that it would be giving up the reins of government entirely, to abandon the whip; but I am now satisfied that I was mistaken.  I have lost all desire to exercise arbitrary power.  I have known of several instances in which unpleasant disturbances have been occasioned by managers giving way to their anger, and domineering over the laborers.  The people became disobedient and disorderly, and remained so until the estates went into other hands, and a good management immediately restored confidence and peace.”—­Mr. Watkins.

“Among the advantages belonging to the free system, may he enumerated the greater facility in managing estates.  We are freed from a world of trouble and perplexity.”—­David Cranstoun, Esq.