Exposing the Heartbreaking Truth Behind the Streaming Giant's Latest Historical Drama

Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law