🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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