The Placer herald., 1871-07-29
Henry Huntley Haight.

f-nGllSn Oh tne puteTnai sue, tuc HrsI ohe
who emigrated to America, Jonathan Teal
Haight, having come to New York from
England under the old Dutch regime. On
the maternal side, he is descended from the
old Scottish family or clan of Cameron, his
great grandfather, Even Cameron, a cousin.
of the celebrated Lochiel, having come to
New York from Scotland in 1870, and set
tied in the western part Of the State. His
father, the late Fletcher M. IIaight law
yer of eminence and distinguished ability,
and who was, at the time Of his death,
Judge of the United States District Court
for the Southern District of California, was
also a resident of western New York, where
with the exception of a few years in St.
Louis, he lived until he removed to Califor-
MIA in 1854.
Mr.. Haight was the eldest son of a large
family of children. lie entered Yale College
at the age of fifteen years, from whence he
graduated in 1916, and having decided to
adopt as profession, one that bad been
hereditary il his family for several genera
tions-that of the law-entered at once upon
its study in the law Office of his father. In
1916, his father removing to St. Louis, Mr..
Haight accompanied him, and was shortly
admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of
Missouri. lie Immediately commenced the
practice of law in St. Louis, in connection
with his father, and remained there until late
in 1S49, when he turned his steps toward
the newly acquired territory on the Pacific.
lie arrived in San Francisco on the Goth Of
January, 1850, and being convinced of the
future greatness and prosperity of San Fran
cisco, he decided at once to make it his home,
and Immediately commenced practcing law,
first in connection with the late Gen. j. A.
McDougall, and later with bis father, who
had followed him to California, His abilities
were soon acknowledged, and young as he
was, he soon occupied an eminent position in
the front rank of the bar of California, and
which he has ever maintained
From the time of his arrival in San Fran
cisco until the spring of 1867, he has resided
and practised law in this city, with the ex-
ception of a short absence in the Eastern
States, during which he was married to a
daughter of the late Captain Bissell, of st.
Louis
in 1867, he removed his residence to Ala
media County, continuing, however, to prac-
tice law in San Francisco, until called by the
people, in the Fall of that year, to assume
the office of Governor of the State.
He had never been, with but one excep-
ton, up TO the time of his nomination for
Governor, in 1867, actively engaged in any
political struggle. Occupying the prominent
position he always has, during his residence
in San Francisco he had often been pressed
by his friends to accept nominations for judi
cia and other honorable offices, but had
invariably declined. Although taking a
Jealous interest in the affairs of the country
and the course of events, he had never, be-
yond an occasional article from his pen, en-
tered publicly into the discussion of the
political questions of the day, until the
Presidential campaign of 1864, in which he
took part with the Conservative party in the
support of Geo B. Mcclellan.
1t would not be proper here TO enter into
an examination Of the political questions that
then agitated the people, and we have but
mentioned the subject to show that the
course pursued by Mr.. Haight and the con-
stitutional principles announced by him in
that memorable campaign, were remembered
and approved of by the people of California
when they elected him Governor of the State
three years afterwards by the large majority
Of nine Thousand fre hund,ed.
lie was nominated for that position by the
Democratic State Convention which met in
San Francisco, June 1867 lie at first de-
cncd to allow his name to be used before
the Convention, but at last, yielding to the
pressing solicitations of his friends, he con-
sented His name was presented to the
Convention by Hon. j. b. Crockett, who
prefaced the nomination with the following
remarks, to the truthfulness of which any
one who has personally known Mr.. 1aight
for any length of time, will cordially assent:
81 rise to perform an agreeable duty in
presenting for the high office of Governor of
the State Of California, a gentleman whom |
have known from his boyhood. | have
known him twenty years; and | can say,
truthfully say, that | never have known a
truer, better, more honest or more upright
man thau he whose name | will present to
the Convention; man distinguished for his
integrity and perfect uprightnoss Of character
in all the walks of life; a man against whom
not word of reproach has been, or is likely
to he uttered; man in whose keeping the
honor and welfare of the State yill be per-
fectly safe; a man who will ba party to no
scheme, who will not yield to any corrupt
influences, and who will administer the Gov
enment Of the State with ability, in the
spirit of tie Constitution and the laws; and
who will do honor to the Office and the party
who elects him. And | do now nominate
for the Office of Governor of California,
Henry II. Haight.
The remarks of Judge Crockett were re-
ceived with great applause, and Mr.. Haight
was Immediately nominated by acclamation.
His principal opponent in the campaign, was
George C. Gorham, the nominee of the Re-
publican party. The contest was a most
spirited and exciting one, probably more so
than any previous Gubernatorial election that
ever took place in the State, not even ex-
cepting the memorable struggle Of 1859.