This testimonial, had I accepted it, would doubtless have been a great

success, as it was endorsed by all of the League magnates, by the press
generally, and by the lovers of base-ball all over the country, but to
me it appeared to be something too much in the nature of a charity gift
for me to accept, and I felt that I should stultify my manhood by so
doing, and that I should sacrifice that feeling of independence that I
had always possessed
This testimonial, had I accepted it, would doubtless have been a great
success, as it was endorsed by all of the League magnates, by the press
generally, and by the lovers of base-ball all over the country, but to
me it appeared to be something too much in the nature of a charity gift
for me to accept, and I felt that I should stultify my manhood by so
doing, and that I should sacrifice that feeling of independence that I
had always possessed. To the many friends who urged it upon me at the
time I am still deeply grateful, but I feel that in declining to accept
it I did a wise thing, and I am confident that very many of them now
agree with me in that opinion.