James A. Garfield
Twentieth
President,
1881
|
“The people
are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body
be ignorant, reckless,
and corrupt, it is
because the people tolerate (those characteristics).”
Party Politics:
After 36 convention votes, Republican Speaker of the House James Garfield was finally nominated over former president Ulysses S. Grant. Garfield went on to win the presidency over his democratic contender by only 10,000 votes. He was the last president to be born in a log cabin and the only preacher ever to become president of the United States. Just six and a half months after he became president, Garfield was shot by a mentally disturbed, disaffected office seeker. Eleven weeks later, Garfield died.
|
|
Portrait by
Ole Peter Hansen Balling
,
1881
.
NPG.65.25
,
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
.
|
Fast Facts
|
|
Party: |
Republican
|
|
Date of Birth: |
Saturday, November 19, 1831
|
|
Date of Death: |
Monday, September 19, 1881
|
|
Vice President: |
Chester A. Arthur
|
|
First Lady: |
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
|
|
|
 |