in 1855, banks agreed to chair the convention of a new republican party convention, whose platform was intended to bring together antislavery interests from the democrats, whigs, free soilers, and know nothings. when know nothing governor henry gardner refused to join in the fusion, banks carefully kept his options open, passively supporting the republican effort but also avoiding criticism of gardner in his speeches. gardner was reelected. during the summer of 1855, banks was invited to speak at an antislavery rally in portland, maine, his first major speaking opportunity outside massachusetts. in the speech, banks expressed his opinion that the union did not necessarily need to be preserved, say that under certain conditions it would be appropriate to "let [the union] slide". future political opponents would repeatedly use these words against him, accusing him of "disunionism".