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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate 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 preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

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

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great 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 short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law