Second Biennial Message of Gov. H.H. Haight, to the Legislature of California. Nineteenth Session, December, 1871

Sacramento, 1872. About very good.. 55pp. Original printed front wrapper, tastefully rebacked with plain rear wrapper replaced. Light dust soiling and wear to front wrap, with contemporary ownership inscription at head. Unobtrusive repairs to final leaf. Light, even tanning. Biannual message of Governor Henry Huntly Haight to the state legislature of California at the outset of its nineteenth session in December 1871. Haight was notable for his strongly racist and anti-immigrant views, and was elected in 1867 with no prior experience based on his anti-Chinese, anti-Reconstruction platform. Remarkably, he was an early Republican and supported both Frémont and Lincoln for President, but joined the Democratic Party in 1863 after the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Haight lost his bid for reelection to Republican Newton Booth in 1871, and in this final message to the California legislature, he reflected on the accomplishments of the past four years and offered his recommendations for the future. Chief among these are investment in the promotion of immigration to White Americans and Europeans ("The advantages of California in climate, soil and products need only to be known and reasonable facilities offered in order to induce a large influx of the class which we most need. California may be said to lack nothing but population..."), and the reformation of the California constitution ("The defects in our present State Constitution are so numerous that nearly every Article could be amended with advantage..."). The second half of the pamphlet comprises a lengthy and detailed appendix of pardons and commutations for a diverse group of violent criminals. Scarce.