🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, 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 impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

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

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements 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 completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions 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 executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement 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 psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law