🔗 Share this article

For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law