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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud 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 influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting 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 appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning 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 excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law