🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. 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 extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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