While in St. Louis, the younger Haight became politically active and edited a "Free Soil" publication.

[5] At his July 9 speech at San Francisco's Union Hall, Haight denounced Reconstruction and its potential impact in California.

He claimed Congress's policies put white Americans "under the heel of negroes" and warned that indiscriminate suffrage would allow Chinese to vote in California.

As "pagans," "serfs" and members of a "servile, effeminate and inferior race," their suffrage rights would "pollute and desecrate" the democratic "heritage" of white Americans.

"But if we are powerless to prevent the swarming of millions of Asia from pouring in upon us, we can at least keep in our hands the government of the country.

[4] On December 5, 1867, newly elected Governor Haight took to a stage in Sacramento to give his inaugural address.

"Reconstruction," Haight proclaimed, "... takes from White people of 10 states their constitutional rights, and leaves them subject to military rule; and disenfranchises enough White men to give political control to a mass of Negroes just emancipated and just as ignorant of political duties as beasts of the field."

[7] As Governor, Haight then used the powers of his office to prevent citizenship and voting rights from being extended to non-White California residents.

Shortly after taking office, Haight wrote privately to President Andrew Johnson to thank him for his stance against Congress's Reconstruction policy.

[4] The U.S. Congress sent the 15th Amendment to states for ratification in late 1869, the January 1870 debates renewed opposition to non-White suffrage.

Haight has received credit for signing legislation to create the University of California (UC) and ending subsidies to railroads.

On March 23, 1868, he signed the "Organic Act", the legislation creating the University of California, although he had not been involved in its formation.

[8][9] A friend credited Haight with ending state subsidies for the railroads during his term as governor.

[17] The Coalition to Rename Haight created a website including primary and secondary sources, and a syllabus, about the life and times of Henry H.