Exposing the Devastating Story Within the Streaming Giant's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

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. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. 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 “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

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

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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