The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-06
Banks.

The most remarkable case OF sudden
conversion Is that OF Gen. BANKS SAUL
OF Tarsus was not so stricken with convn-
cling light. The latest development of his
saving grace was shed upon the denIzens
of Waltham, Massachusetts, the place OF
his residence, in the form of u political
speech.
We are panied infinitely to observe that
the General has redness OF the eyes. Ills
guidon. too, il OF scarlet and his bugle IL
vocal with the blasts OF war. Some months
ago in Tennessee there was falling from
the sky of ensanguined flesh The recent
high range of the mercury would preclude
any theory that raw meat has fallen in
Middlessx county. 1t must be that the
optics of the General behold objects
through "A vermilion lens. Ii IL to be re-
GREETED that his battle bunting. which
he bought, we cannot doubt. OF BEN But
LER, had not been dyed blue instead OF
red.
As Gen. BANKS has returned his flashing
falchion TO its soabbard, we viii not revert
to his war record. The curious on annals
OF carnage, however, can borrow OF Gen.
BALDY SMITH the jottings taken down by
IA certain commission which took note of
events IN the Department OF the Gulf
The original is in one of the crypts OF the
War Department at Washington, held, We
think. under sacred confidence. Gen.
SMITH, no viewer, has served notice ON
The public that, like good soldier, he
always protects his rear aud flank and
has preserved copy which any inquiring
eye can inspect.
After the final surrender, Gen. BANKS
sought IN peace for victories no less re-
nowned than those OF war. He had run
well in the Shenandoah valley aud on the
banks Of the Rcd river, and SO he tried
his speed IN his old district, but did not
come in on time In the last election he
was more favored, and the pelt Of the
unlucky GOOCH hung at his baldTic. After
this piece of luck, the first surprising ex-
hibition he made OF himself was when
he prepared the downv cushions OF
paid Regent of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition for the weary sitting of Gen. GRANT
after the sad day Of his retirement from
Presidential service. We next heard from
him ut the Fifth Avenue Hotel, under
the thumbscrew of the omnipotent inter-
viewer. We read his senile babblngs and
turned from - IHlLIP drunk 10 PHILIP
sober" We now listen 10 him from the
hastings of Waltham, with his lobster-col-
ored gonfalon unfurled and his trumpet
of strife and hate giving its soreeohing
notes
Those who rejoced in Gen. BANKs's sue
cess in the last canvass, and who forgot
his manifold weaknesses and thought only
of his good qualities, which are by no means
few, would now be happy to see him sub
jected 10 "A defeat, which should be iguo-
minlous. He declares in his late speech that
che wants nothing" Will he favor us by
giving the date when his aching void
ceased2 We do not know of "a politician
to whom pottage has been more palatable,
and puddlngs, sometimes dirty, have been
more relishiug. He has proved all things
politically by personal experiment; we
wish we could add and held fast to what
was good. For his own private advantage
we could wish for his election; but for all
that Is high and praiseworthy in example
to the young asplrant for public life, his
condign defeat viii be altogether salutary,
and to be desired.
We are sick of many things, bat We have
no stronger revulsion of disgust than to-
ward those trombone politicians who make
their notes by tho in ana out OF the valves,
~ tho trimmer and the time server. Above
all, We bold aud dcnounco hun who at