Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-14
From the Evening Post.
Nathaniel p. Banks.

The gentleman who, after an uncxampled
contest Of nine weeks duration, was elevated
on Saturday, thes2d inst, to the office of great
est political influence under our government
next to the Presidency, is one of the most "a
vorable specimens with which our national his
tory abounds Of what are denominated d" self.
made men,"
In the twelfth year of his age Mr.. Banks
graduated from the only school that he ever at.
tended, and entered cotton factory in his ma.
tive village of Waltham, Mass. He subsequent
ly assisted his father, who was a house carpen.
ter, and then learned the trade of u machinst
which he prosecuted fer some time in Waltham
and in Boston. His employment did not pre-.
vent his finding time to cultivate his under
standing, while gratifying constitutional taste
for intellectual pleasures; and in 1915 he en-
tered the office Of the late Robert Rantoul, chen
u S. District Attorney in Boston, as student
of law. He was admitted and commenced prac
tice at the bar of Massachusetts, in 1913.
Mr.. Banks had always been firm and con-
sistent supporter of the Democratic party ant
its policy and the year that he was admitted tC
the bar he was chosen member of the State
Legislature by the Democracy of his native
town. He was one of about twenty Democrats
in the House, among whom the present Attor
ney-General Of the United States figured quite
prominently.
In 1851 Mr.. Banks was again elected botf
to the Senate and the House. He chose to ac
cept seat in the latter, and was chosen Speak
er of that body by coalition Of the Freesoi
ers of both the old political parties. As a pre-
siding officer he bore the distinction of being
better Speaker than Robert Q. Winthrop, who
preceded him, and who was universally esteeme
ed as the best Speaker they had ever had un
til then.
In 1852 he was reelected Speaker of tn,
Honse; in 1853 he was member and presiden
of the convention which was elected to revis
the Consti tuition of the State, and was at thu
Same time member elect of the Thirty thirt
Congress. In the latter body he made himsel
the object Of assaults from the Administrative.
party and its agents by his opposition to tn
Nebraska-Kansas BILL and every effort was mad
to prevent his re election, but without sncccss
He was rc-nominated by the regular Democrat
ic Convention of his District, and elected to tn
present Congress, of which he has just beel
chosen Speaker, by about 1000 majority th
largest majority, we believe, ever cast for an
candidate in his District.
Mr.. Banks was born in 1885, he is no,
therefore, just forty years Of age. His mothe
is descendant OF the Prentiss family, of Ne,
Hampshire, from which he derives his middl
name. lie has Il wife and two children. Ii
is u man of dignifed presence and department
deliberate, but precise and fluent in his speech
and remarkable for perfect GOODNESS and self con
troll, as was abundantly proved during the Ion
contest from which he come out with IA rewaI
far more fattering than mere success, the uni
versal conviction of all parties that he was won
thy of the dignity and equal TO the duties {
the exalted position to which he has been rasec