In 1854, Mr. Banks was taken up by the Americans and Republicans, and sent again to Congress, where, after a memorable _two months'_ contest, yet fresh in the reader's memory, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. No man has ever surpassed, if one has ever equalled him, as a speaker of that turbulent body, and he left the post with the highest honors. He was reëlected to Congress, but after taking his seat and remaining a month at Washington, he resigned it to assume the governorship of Massachusetts, to which office the people of the State had elected him by a tremendous majority. He was reëlected in the fall of 1858 by a heavy majority, and at this time fills the Governor's chair. This, in a few words, is Governor Bank's political career. As a politician, he has shown himself shrewd, as a presiding officer prompt, graceful, commanding, and as an administrator, a governor, he has proved himself to be a man of rare genius. This, in fact, is Governor Bank's _forte_. He has a genius _for governing men_--that most rare of all gifts. He cannot be said to have made a political blunder in his life, speaking after the fashion of political men. It is of great importance to the people what are the _political opinions_ of such a man as Governor Banks. But he is so cautious, so reticent, that upon some points it is difficult to state his exact position. In a letter, addressed by Mr. Banks to the Republican Convention of Worcester--in the fall of 1857, Mr. Banks states his opinions upon some of the prominent questions of the day. We will make a few extracts: