in 1848, banks was victorious in another run for the state legislature, successfully organizing elements in waltham whose votes were not easily controlled by the whig-controlled boston manufacturing company. company leaders could effectively compel their workers to vote for whig candidates because there was no secret ballot. he was at first moderate in opposition to the expansion of slavery, but recognizing the potency of the burgeoning abolitionist movement, he became more strongly attached to that cause as a vehicle for political advancement. this brought banks, along with fellow democrats rantoul and george s. boutwell to form a coalition with the free soil party that successfully gained control of the legislature and governor's chair. the deals negotiated after the coalition win in the 1850 election put boutwell in the governor's chair and made banks the speaker of the massachusetts house of representatives. although banks did not like the radical free soiler charles sumner (either personally or for his strongly abolitionist politics), he supported the coalition agreement that resulted in sumner's election to the united states senate, despite opposition from conservative democrats. his role as house speaker and his effectiveness in conducting business raised his status significantly, as did his publicity work for the state board of education.