🔗 Share this article

For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law