🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance 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 departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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