🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent 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 unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, 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 opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman 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 represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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