The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-21
WINFIELD'S GRAFTON
Tribute to the Citizen Sol
diery at the laying of
the Armory Corner
stone.
COLONEL ABERNETHY's ADDRESS.
Dinner to the Guests at Gaylor's
Hotel--Goyernor Werts' staff
Entertained--"No CONS
In 1t, Too.
ABERNETHY's ADDRESS.

the memory of every member Of the Fourth
Regiment of the NG.S.N.J., for on that
date its armory's cornerstone was laid.
As inevery matter concerning the welfare
of Jersey City, THE jersey CITY NEWS
gave its thousands Of readers yesterday
everything relating to the ceremony possible
to, have been given up to the point Of the
principal Grafton of the day, delivered by
Hon. G.. H. Winfield, for at that time the
paper vent to press.
Taking up the story of the ever-to-be-re-
membered ceremony from that point, there
remains to be told what eloquent words fol-
lowed from Mr.. Winfield's lips. Before the
''orator of the day." as Col. Abernethy
called Mr.. Winfield, stepped forward to
have his say, the gallant Colonel himself
proved that, soldier as he is, he knows what
to say and how to say it. Before introduce
ing the Governor, he turned to the crowds
in front of him and said:
ABERNETHY'S
II congratulate this assemblage today on
the happy event that has called them to-
gether to witness the ceremony of laying the
cornerstone of the magnificent building to
be erected here, and to be known as the
FOuFUn regiment ArmOry.
The question of IN armory for the Fourth
Regiment has been agitated with spirit for
the past twenty years., and during hat long
period, this, today, is the first official act
participated in by the regiment towards
realizing its fondest hopes of a home for
every company in the organization located
under one roof. While we are to be con-
/ graduated, the rank and file consider they
have earned, and are worthy of, this beauti-
full home for the sacrifices they have made,
for their fidelity to the State, and for the
esprit Gle corps they have maintained, not
w~ithstanding all the d-iscouragements under
which they nave labored for SO many years.
w are greatly indebted to the Board of
Freeholders of Hudson County for the pur-
chase of this most delightfully."- located
property, and to Governor Werts, for in
! dorsing and Fastening all measures tending
/ towards the completion of what will be the
most substantial armory in the State of New
Jersey.
"We would be unmindful of our duty, our
high appreciation and the happiness we feel,
if we failed TO thank all those who lave as
sisted in this great and necessary work.
Hence it gives me great pleasure on behalf
of the officers and men of my regiment, to
return our sincere thanks to Governor Werts
for permitting this work to be pushed rapidly
forward; to the State Military Board of
which General Plume is President, General
k(0A y NJ LIN cA AtN NOllLI I'll
and our own Mayor General Wanser are
members; to the Board of Freeholders of
Hudson County, the Board of Finance of
Jersey City, Assemblymen Carroll and Sal
niger n all others who have aided us and
especially Mr.. Chas B. Thurston who has by
his personal energy and devotion to our
aust made this building q possibility. I
feel assured the regiment viii always prove
itself worthy of the gift from the people Of
the State and serve them in the future as
faithfully and as unselfishly as it has
served them for the past twenty-six years.
I'm closing Idesire to return thanks to
those who SO kindly assisted US today in these
ceremonies, and to whom our personal OBJ
legations ere indeed great
AN AMUSING INCIDENT.
Congratulations were offered to Col. Aber-
nethy by the surrounding officers when he had
finished. II the speech had no effect on the
crowd on the other side of the street, and it
would have been remarkable if it had, since
they could not hear the gallant ColoneIs
voice, the speech certainly had on the pho
tographer, situated opposite. That artist
was so much enthused that is applauding he
knocked over his camera, n thereby spoiled
a most effective negative of the group con-
sisting of the Governor, officers and
other distinguished people, not for
getting the representative of THE
NEWS. When the laughter over
this catastrophe had subsidized. Mr.. Winfield
began his Grafton. The gifted Prosecutor of
the Pleas was wisely muffied up in a thick
overcoat, and, although suffering from a
severe cold, spoke rather than ~disappoint the
many to whom his words are always well
worth listening to.
When a noisy trolley car had passed and
an officer had ceased shouting, 'Order-r-r,
drums" to a squad at the rear of the plat
form, Mr.. Winfield said:-
PROSECUTOR wINFIELD's RINGING WORDS.
"Ido not propose to deliver an Grafton to-
day, as advertised, because the onlv assur-
ance on my life is an accidental one, and that
could not be paid where death follows from
exposure, with malice aforethought.n
(Laughter.)
Notwithstanding this statement, Mr.. Win
field went on, and before he got through
| everybody who heard him thought he had
delivered an grafton, and a very excellent
one at that.
"It has become" he contended, "apolitical
axiom in all countries where liberty has a
foothold that the sword and the purse should
not be placed In the same hand. The natural
tendency of a standing army is to strengthen
the central power. 1t is a menace to the
liberty Of the people. 1t does not owe al
legiance to them; but to the master. His
bidding, it will naturally do. The conse-
quence is it stamps out liberty and eats up
the substance of the people.
in liberty-loving countries the sword is in
the hands OF the sovereign or supreme execu-
tive: but the purse is in the hands of the repre-
sentatives of the people. There the army
exists only by the willingness of the people
to support it. When they refuse that sup
| port, the army disbands, and its member
| go back to private and productive life. and
they are relieved, and the people are relieved
from the burden of its support. Only among