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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

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 former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about 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 defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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