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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, 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, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight 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 selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

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 unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law