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For generations, 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 assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income 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 entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“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 thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law