demoralizes

Updated: June 3, 2025

The presence of black troops, he said, "demoralizes labor" and "furnishes in their camps a resort for freedmen." He thought there was danger of collision from the presence of black troops.

James Gillespie Blaine - Twenty Years of Congress, Volume 2 : From Lincoln to Garfield, with a Review of the Events Which Led to the Political Revolution of 1860

The presence of black troops, lately slaves, demoralizes labor, both by their advice and by furnishing in their camps a resort for the freedmen for long distances around. White troops generally excite no opposition, and therefore a small number of them can maintain order in a given district. Colored troops must be kept in bodies sufficient to defend themselves.

Carl Schurz - Report on the Condition of the South

It is vain to say that whipping demoralizes, until we have a system of effective and severe punishment, clearly free from this danger.... A felon destined to long penal servitude cannot fulfil a father's duties, and no one is so weak as to imagine that his commands concerning his children deserve respect.

Giberne Sieveking - Memoir and Letters of Francis W. Newman

The police never have really tried to get anything on it. Miss Kendall never could, could you? I admit I never have. It seems to be understood that it is practically impossible to prove anything against it. They openly defy us. The thing can't go on. It demoralizes all our other work. Just one good blow at the Montmartre and we could drive every one of these vile crooks to cover."

Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve - The Ear in the Wall

To allow the primary assembly to decree the transference of public property without limit to its own pocket is not only wrong, but is the beginning of the end; it demoralizes the best-disposed citizens, and gives to the proposer a power incompatible with a free commonwealth.

Theodor Mommsen - The History of Rome (Volumes 1-5)

The presence of black troops, lately slaves, demoralizes labor both by their advice and by furnishing in their camps a resort for freedmen for long distances around. White troops generally excite no opposition, and therefore a small number of them can maintain order in a given district. Colored troops must be kept in bodies sufficient to defend themselves.

Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson) Ross - History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868

To engage in parleys is dangerous; merely to mark time is suicidal. We are dealing here with the masses, who have never held any power in their hands, who are therefore most wanting in political self-confidence. Any hesitation at revolutionary headquarters demoralizes them immediately.

Leon Davidovich Trotzky - From October to Brest-Litovsk

"Certainly, sir," replied Richard, with a shadow of dissent in his manner, "if you wish it." "He causes a deal of trouble in the yard." "I am afraid he does. Sucha clean workman when he's sober!" "But he is never sober." "He has been in a bad way lately, I admit." "His example demoralizes the men. I can see it day by day." "I wish he were not so necessary at this moment," observed Richard.

Thomas Bailey Aldrich - The Stillwater Tragedy

All this does not show that the Puritans had, even at the outset, worse men or a cause no better; it simply shows that war demoralizes, and that right-thinking men may easily, under its influence, slide into rather reprehensible practices.

Various - The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 20, June, 1859

He is outside, somewhere in the world, and I am here moving among my thirty friends; and since it isn't spring yet, the lights are lit to hide the twilight. The Sister's eyes talk to me again as we make beds yes, even bed No. 11 with a little jaundice boy in it. They let me make it now! Last night we had another concert in the ward. A concert demoralizes me.

Enid Bagnold - A Diary Without Dates