At that meeting A.H.Pratt, who represented me, read the following letter that I had written for the occasion: To My Friends--The kind offer to raise a large public subscription for me, the first notice of which I received by a chance meeting with Mr.
Spalding the afternoon preceding its publication in the daily papers, is an honor and a compliment I duly appreciate.

Implying as it does the hearty good will and close fellowship of the originator of the movement, A.G.Spalding, causes me to regard it higher.

There are times when one hesitates to receive favors even from friends, and at this hour I deem it both unwise and inexpedient to accept the generosity so considerately offered.

A.C.

ANSON.
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.