🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about 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 central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. 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 finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, 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 station floor. When a {police officer|law