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Fat Cat President

Part 20 of My Presidential Review Series

May 7, 2005 2:58:16 PM from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums


Settling in for the longest write since William Henry Harrison, there is James A. Garfield. Garfield was one of only four presidents successfully assassinated. He was also the third one to succumb to the 20-year curse. His was the second-shortest term in history, surpassed only by the one-month reign of William Henry Harrison. Since his assassination was executed by a disappointed office seeker, it prompted action to end patronage. He was the last president to be born in a log cabin. Garfield served March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881.

Most of Garfield's short time in office was spent struggling over patronage with New York Republican boss Roscoe Conkling. In a bitter fight, Garfield succeeded in placing his man, William H. Robertson as collector of the Port of New York despite Conkling's efforts to deny him Senate confirmation. The victory broke Conkling's iron grip on the Republican Party and his career was effectively destroyed.

In his first week as president, Garfield ordered Postmaster General Thomas L. James to investigate charges that mail route contracts were being fraudulently awarded. His investigation led to evidence suggesting bribery involving members of the Republican Party. In response to James' request to continue the investigation, Garfield instructed him to "go ahead regardless of where or whom you hit. I direct you not only to probe this ulcer to the bottom, but to cut it out." Republican Senator Stephen W. Dorsey of Arkansas, Second Assistant Postmaster General Thomas Brady, and others were implicated in the scheme that cost taxpayers approximately $4 million. No one was convicted, but revelation of the scandal led to adoption of civil service reform.

Garfield was assassinated by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19, 1881.

Well, while he may have done a couple things, Garfield still did too little to constitute a real review.

Overall Ranking: Due to the brevity of his administration, Garfield will not be ranked.

"I would rather believe something and suffer for it, than to slide along into success without opinions."
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TheFazz
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Reply #1 May 7, 2005 3:03:47 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
I'm surprised Odie wasn't his vice president.
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Reply #2 May 7, 2005 3:06:08 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
I'm surprised Odie wasn't his vice president.


It was a near thing, but Jon's candidacy deadlocked the convention and they settled for Chester A. Arthur.
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Reply #3 May 7, 2005 3:37:53 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Was any lasagna served at the convention?
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Reply #4 May 7, 2005 3:40:08 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Was any lasagna served at the convention?


Oh, heaps.
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Reply #5 May 9, 2005 12:11:06 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Garfield was assassinated by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19, 1881.

Shouldn't that be that he was shot in July?  Assassinated means you are dead.  Maybe it was a long assassination?

It seems that he has a couple of notable accomplishments.  One is the breaking of the Patronage, and the other was redefining the Presidents power (or at least the start of it).  This was the swing back from the Congress of the 60s.

Given his very short tenure, one has to wonder how good he would have been if he had not been assassinated.  That is a story for a hypothetical question of the future.

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Reply #6 May 9, 2005 1:30:32 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
Given his very short tenure, one has to wonder how good he would have been if he had not been assassinated. That is a story for a hypothetical question of the future.


Well, I do have an extra time machine lying around. Wanna go back in time and save him?
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Reply #7 May 9, 2005 1:36:14 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Well, I do have an extra time machine lying around. Wanna go back in time and save him?

Tempting, but I dont think I want to mess with the temporal Quakes.  Besides, if we suceeded, Die Hard with a Vengence would have to be rewritten!

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Reply #8 May 9, 2005 5:48:40 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
One is the breaking of the Patronage


Well, he started it, but it was not accompished. With the emergence of Marcus Hanna, patronage was restored again, but it was in a weakened form and collapsed with the death of Hanna and the election of Roosevelt.

Shouldn't that be that he was shot in July? Assassinated means you are dead. Maybe it was a long assassination?


Oh, you caught me. Well, it did take him an awfully long time to die from the wound. Interesting story; if the doctors hadn't fiddled with him so much trying to help him, he would have lived.

Given his very short tenure, one has to wonder how good he would have been if he had not been assassinated. That is a story for a hypothetical question of the future.


Like Taylor, he had the potential but not the chance. We can only wonder...
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Reply #9 May 10, 2005 6:27:18 AM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Oh, you caught me. Well, it did take him an awfully long time to die from the wound. Interesting story; if the doctors hadn't fiddled with him so much trying to help him, he would of lived.

Ooohhh!  That wounds me!  Not! 

How bad was the care?  I never really have delved into why it took him 3 months to die.  I always assumed that it was because they were doing their best and extended his life that long.  I had not thought it may be due to just a bunch of witch doctors practicing their craft.

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Reply #10 May 10, 2005 3:33:38 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
How bad was the care?


Well, he entered into their care with a small bullet hole. After much poking and prodding, the small bullet hole was greatly widened. They had been trying to remove the bullet, but due to unwashed hands and unsterilized instruments, the ever-growing wound became infected and he got blood poisoning. That was the actual cause of death. Guiteau even argued in court that he merely shot the president, and the doctors killed him. Obviously, it didn't work.
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Reply #11 May 10, 2005 3:56:19 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
How bad was the care? I never really have delved into why it took him 3 months to die. I always assumed that it was because they were doing their best and extended his life that long. I had not thought it may be due to just a bunch of witch doctors practicing their craft.

Bonus Rating: Trolling Insightful


it only took him 3 months to die because micheal shiavo was in chage of his food.
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