Unveiling the Devastating Reality Within Netflix's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb 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 doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. 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 seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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