The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-16

ROUGH RIDERS FEASTED..
Citizens Of the Heights En-
terrain the Troopers
at Dinner.
CAPTAIN M'GUINNIS' SPEECH
He Praises the Hospitality OF
Jersey City = Other
Addresses.

ers. who have been in Jersey City for the
past few days. given by the citizens OF
this city last night. was a tremendous
success. The event was held n Bassford
& Glenn's Hall, at Montgomery street ana
Bergen avenue. The place was beautiful
ly decorated with American n Cuban
flags and bunting of the National colors.
At sight o'clock the troopers left the
Armory and marched to the banquet hall,
followed by fully two thousand people,
who cheered them continuously. All along
the line Of march the streets were black
with patriotic citizens. who were eager to
give the boys a good send off. When the
hail was reached the guests and officers
repaired to the front room where their re-
past was served. The troopers were
served in the rear hall.
Brigadier General Peter F. Wanser oc-
cupied the head of the table. while Cap
tain McGuinness and Lieut.. Wiehtge sat
at his side. Police Justice Potts, General
Abernethy and j. Vail Queen sat close
by.
After the good things had been disposed
of and the inner man satisfied, the bal
ance of the evening was spent listening
to speaches.
Cornelius H. Benson, who has just come
from the South was the first speaker.
II deem IT quite an unexpected honor
and pleasure to be called upon to address
such distinguished people on such a dis
tinguished OCCASION he said. The
pleasure has been afforded me of having
been in their country. / could talk to
them about the black wax in San Antonio,
and the 11S degrees of heat in Phoenix,
Arizona. l feel that Jersey City is hon
ored in thus viewing the men who offered
position and lives for the honor Of the
flag. hat they have not been to the
front is their misfortune. I have no
doubt thai every man feels grieved that he
was left ehind / have no doubt that
every one would have been gladSto have
been TO San Juan, with Teddy Roose-
velt even if he did lead his men into an
~ambuscade. Boys, don't you worry, you
will have your opportunity. This Opera
bouffe'' is only the beginning of ac %onfiet,
a conflict Of a force visible against any
invisible power that may be brought
against us. We have taken our place
among the nations of the world.
-Four months ago we were the butt
and Jest of all foreign nations. Today we
1 e. EClCus dlAQ III III - ttNA -
butt and jest of us without thinking
twice.
Who was it that brought about these
results? Was it McKinley2 God bless him.
mol Tt was the private soldier and sailor
behind the guns. When Dewey's guns
were aimed on Montejo's feet, it was the
common biuejacket that won the victory.
It has been the history of our country
from the beginning hat the man behind
the guns. the captains. the company and
battalion commander are those who have
placed the Stars and Stripes in places
from which they can never be lowered.
To the man who can shoot and will, be4
longs the victory. All honor to the men
of Texas, Arizona and California, who
comprise our brave Rough Riders"
Captain Edward McGuinness. of Troop I,
was the next speaker. He said:-"Gentle-
men of Jersey City and men of my own
regiment, L have only a few things to say
that press themselves forward on US. l
am no orator. but on an occasion like this,
when so many things have been done for
our pleasure. the man who could not say
Thank you would be a poor commander
of a troop indeed. The record of
my regiment is the brightest In
the war. It would not be fair to my men
to say they wouldn't ave fought as
bravely as their comrades had they been
given the opportunity. The greatest pas
sion that ever fills the life of man is TO
go to war. The chanc come to each
generation. I am fearful that our chance
has passed by. did not get a chance to
show what my troop could do up that
hill, but had it got behind the Spaniards
they would have thought it was a cy-
clone indeed. My troop was left behind
because it was commanded by the junior
captain of the regiment. Colonel, now
General, Wood, always cool and as fine a
man as it has ever been my pleasure to
meet, came near not going himself. Lieu
tenant Colonel Roosevelt showed to the
world a great exhibition of brain owe
and intellect by selecting the kim of a
regiment he did. While in camp at Tampa
the Second Regular Cavalry lay on our
right and the Fifth on our left. When we
got news of the boys falling into an am
buscade and some officer wanted them to
retreat and they did not, we felt mighty
proud when we talked it over. Colonel
Moves, commander of the Second Regi-
ment, was present. He said it was a fact
always conceded by cavalrymen that it
take two years to become proficient. You
have to teach him how to use his horse,
carbine, sabre, obedience and discipline.
BY the time he has been educated in his
threefold capacity it has taken the two
years. Colonel Roosevelt selected a class
of men who knew their horses and were
used to sighting a rifle. Perhaps they
could not look or sit as well as the regu-
lars, but they could control their animals.
1.-THE only thing that remained was to
teach them discipline. By this / don't
mean TO crack their heels together and
dance attendance on some snobbish off,
Ger, but to act in unison. 1t. took just
sixty days to teach the men. this, and
they show that they could fight as well
as the next"
Captain McGuinness concluded his re-
marks with a glowing tribute to Colonel
Roosevelt. He said che was a broad
minded, pure hearted. fighting American"
Private Montgomery of Troop I, ex-
pressed the hanks of the men to the
citizens of Jersey City in a few well chos-
en- words.
BOB Mcdonald, the celebrated humor-
list, made a funny address on the Rough
Riders; Sidney Jordan sang several pa
triotic selections. Police Justice Potts
then made a few remarks tosthe Rough
Riders. John Wazhi Queen concluded the
ceremony with an address.