an honorary member now—as a gentleman who has a personal reputation to maintain, I have a right to demand that you cast your votes on my nomination and get it out of the way.
"If you will stop and think a minute, you will see that I am placed in a. somewhat peculiar position before the public. I might say in this connection that a very prominent president of one of the League clubs (Mr. Soden), a gentleman for whom I have the highest regard and in whom I have the utmost confidence, asked me as a special favor to refrain from making any comment or withdrawing my name, as it might injure the National League; might be used as a club by the American League, with whom you are at war. I told him I would do so.
"Now, I find that, being nominated, my name is foot-balled around quite generally; in the press, in this room, everywhere, in a way that to me is not satisfactory.
"I am told that this is the last day of the National League. Rumor declares that it will not outlive the day. Gentlemen, I was present at the birth of this organization. I saw it when its eyes were first opened to the light of day, twenty-six years ago next February, in this city. If it is to be buried to-day—if this is its last day—I ask, gentlemen, the privilege of closing its eyes in death. I claim that not only as a privilege but a right.
"I also want to be here to take away the body, that an autopsy may be held to determine the cause of death. I also claim that I have a right to say something about where it shall be buried, and I may have something to offer as to the design of the monument that is to be erected over it.
"This National League has two fathers: One, William A. Hulbert—God bless his memory—and the other—myself. Twenty-six years ago this month I spent thirty days in Mr. Hulbert's house with him, writing the first constitution; and I claim, because of that; because of the fact that I have been unanimously elected an honorary member of this body, I have the right to speak in its councils.
"We have a very sick patient here—as I read in the papers—a very sick patient. I think it is time that somebody asked some questions to find out what has brought it to this condition. Emaciated in form, pulse weak, heart fluttering; and yet we see a few motions of the muscles that indicate that life is not extinct. Gentlemen, as an honorary member of this League, if it is to die, I propose to stay by that corpse until it is buried. I sincerely hope I am misinformed.
"I object to any more daggers being thrust into that body in my presence. At least I have the right to demand that. Let us stand by this body that seems to be at the point of death for a few
