The Assassination of President Garfield (Document Analysis Assignment) Research Paper

The Assassination of President Garfield (Document Analysis Assignment) - Research Paper Example The document under analysis was written in the context of Guiteau assassinating the president, an act he asserted was of political necessity. On the fateful day, July 2, 1881, Guiteau tracked the President to the then Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station where he shot him. Guiteau immediately surrendered to authorities, saying he was the â€Å"The Stalwart of the Stalwarts.†2 Although he said that he was â€Å"Stalwart of the Stalwarts†, it is evident that he was merely disgruntled as he states in his letter that â€Å"the President proved a traitor to those who made him president.† 3 Stalwarts were a late 19th century group of Republicans under the leadership of one Roscoe Conkling who supported President Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877) for a third term in office. This clique opposed the moderate Republicans who wanted civil reforms and often fought for the control of the Republican Party. Later, the opposing groups would settle on James A. Garfield for the Republican ticket at the Republican national convention in 1880. Guiteau arrived at his decision to assassinate President Garfield arguing that the latter was ungrateful to the Stalwarts after allowing himself to be manipulated by the Secretary of State to plot to murder Senator Conkling and General Arthur Grant. It is widely believed that Guiteau’s plot to assassinate the Pr esident originated from his belief that he was principally responsible for Garfields victory and should have been rewarded with an ambassadorship for his vital help to the President. 4 The two postings he wanted for himself but were constantly rejected by the President and the Cabinet were Paris and Vienna. Without family, friends, and almost penniless, Guiteau grew increasingly isolated and depressed and decided that the President Garfield had to be removed. That Guiteau was the only one obsessed with President Garfield and disgruntled with the latter’s government to the point of