Unveiling the Devastating Truth Behind the Streaming Giant's Latest Historical Drama

Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, 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 earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law