Horace Francis Page (October 20, 1833 – August 23, 1890) was a 19th Century American lawyer and politician who represented California in the United States House of Representatives for five terms between 1873 and 1883.

He is perhaps best known for the Page Act of 1875 which began the racial prohibitions against Asian, primarily Chinese, immigration.

Biography

Page was born near Medina, Orleans County, New York. He attended public schools and Millville Academy and then taught school in La Porte County, Indiana until 1854. Then, he moved to California and engaged in the sawmill business near Colfax. He moved to Placerville and engaged in the livery-stable business. He became engaged in mining, as a mail contractor, and as a stage proprietor.

Horace Page studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in California.

Early career

He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for state senate in 1869.

He served as a major in the California Militia.

Congress

Page was elected as a Republican to the 43rd United States Congress and the four succeeding Congresses. He served from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1883. During the 47th United States Congress, he was the chairman of the Committee on Commerce. In 1882.

Page introduced the Chinese Exclusion Act to the House.[1] When arguing for a ban on the immigration of Chinese laborers, he sought to win support from those who believed in white racial superiority, telling his fellow members that "there is not a member upon this floor... who believes that the coming of the African race... was a blessing to us or to the African himself."[2]

He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election to the 48th United States Congress.

Later career and death

In 1884, Horace Page was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. He resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C. He died in San Francisco, California and was interred in Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California.

Election results

1872 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Horace F. Page 13,803 51.9
Democratic Pasz Coggins 12,816 48.1
Total votes 26,619 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
1875 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Horace F. Page (incumbent) 13,624 43.4
Democratic Hy Larkin 12,154 38.8
Independent Charles R. Tuttle 5,589 17.8
Total votes 31,367 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
1876 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Horace F. Page (incumbent) 20,815 56.7
Democratic G. J. Carpenter 15,916 43.3
Total votes 36,731 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
1879 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Horace F. Page (incumbent) 19,386 51.9
Democratic Thomas J. Clunie 12,847 34.4
Workingman's H. B. Williams[7] 5,139 13.8
Total votes 37,372 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
1880 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Horace F. Page (incumbent) 22,038 53.6
Democratic John R. Glasscock 18,859 45.9
Greenback Benjamin Todd [9] 296 0.4
Prohibition B. K. Lowe 41 0.1
Total votes 41,118 100.0
Turnout
Republican hold

1882

1882 United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2nd district[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Budd 20,229 50.5
Republican Horace F. Page (incumbent) 19,246 48.1
Prohibition J. L. Coles 478 1.2
Greenback F. J. Woodward [11] 78 0.2
Total votes 40,031 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican

References

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 2nd congressional district

1873-1883
Succeeded by
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