🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law