Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-03

N L. BANhS AS STEAMER IN 1000.
terms in the legislature, being speaker of
the assembly in 1851 and 1852. The next
year he presided over the constitutional
convention and Immediately after took his
seat in the Thirty-third congress- still nom
inally n Democrat. But new issues were
up and new alignment of parties was at
hand, In 1854 he made his canvass avow-
cdly as a Know Nothing and carried his
district by an overwhelming majority over
both Wing and Democratic candidates.
All readers know the facts connected
with the struggle in clccting a speaker in
the Thirty-fourth congress. 1t gave Mr..
Banks I; Worldwide fame. On the 1881
ballot, after contest lasting two months,
he was chosen by plurality only, the
house agreeing that tho rule requiring II
majority should be set aside. The vote
stood; Banks, 1903; Aiken of South Caro-
lima, 100; scattering, II, He filled the
Office with dignity and ability, and was re-
elected TO the Thirty-!lfth congress by an
increased majority, bat resigned Dec. 4,
1856, to become
Governor of Massachusetts,.
That place he held three terms of one
year each, and in 1860 accepted the prcsi-
dcncy of the Illinois Central railway,
which place nc left to enter the Union
army
As governor Of Massachusetts his success
was great He understood the people of
his own state, and they understood him.
He returned to congress, but not to his old
prominence. He event off with Greeley"
as the phrase was, in 1872, and was crushed,
but came again in 1874 apparently none
the worse for his 'frolic with the Liber-
ais " Finally he defeated Colonel Thomas
Wentworth Higginson III the Fifth Massa-
chusetts district, and sat in the Fifty-fl
congress in very much tho same capacity
as a professor emeritus sits in college
faculty. Nevertheless the fact remains
that he was throughout an ardent patriot
and noble man, and that equally in sue
cess and in failure his career is singularly
Instructive. He served four terms in the
Massachusetts, legislature and three as
governor, was for two terms speaker in the
house there, was member and president
of the constitutional convention of 1883,
served nine full terms and one fraction in
congress, was successful railroad official
major general in the civil war and United
States marshal in Massachusetts,.
The Banks Family
occupied middle class position in Wal
than, Mass, and there Nathaniel Prentiss
was born Jan. 30, 1916. His father seems
to have begun life as laborer and to have
thought he had done quite well in becom-
ing superintendent in cotton factory.
AT any rate he took it for granted that his
sonwas to rise in fife in q similar way, and
at an early age put him to work in the fac
tory The son, as. often happens took a
very different view OF his future, devoted
all his leisure hours to study, and assem-
bling other youehs of his own age as often
as possible ''practiced on them" to acquire
the habit of p:1hlic speaking.
Fact and fiction are somewhat mixed in
the popular details of this part of his life,
for soon after his appearances In public life
came the issue of very interesting little
work, entitled 1.-THE Bobbin Boy" which
was, for many years among the most
popular boys books IA America 1t was
known that Nat, the hero Of the story,
-