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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, 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, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law