🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged 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 racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind 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 relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law