James Garfield 1881-1889: A new,new birth of freedom ?

Blue Moon

Banned
So I just watched a PBS documentary about James Garfield who as we know was assassinated by Charles J Guiteau over a denial of a Civil Service appointment. Garfield was a strong supporter-for the time-of civil and other rights for blacks. So suppose Charles J Guiteau gets the job he is looking for and James Garfield goes on the serve his first term and is re-elected for a second. What is this fair and reformed minded president able to accomplish for the US in general but specifically for the long suffering blacks of the South ? It seems to me Garfield was the right man at the right time for the presidency and its very unfortunate he went so quickly !
 
Last edited:
So I just watched a PBS documentary about James Garfield who as we know was assassinated by Charles J Guiteau over a denial of a Civil Service appointment. Garfield was a strong supporter-for the time-of civil and other rights for blacks. So suppose Charles J Guiteau gets the job he is looking for and James Garfield goes on the serve his first term and is re-elected for a second. What is this fair and reformed minded president able to accomplish for the US in general but specifically for the long suffering blacks of the South ? It seems to me Garfield was the right man at the right time for the presidency and its very unfortunate he went so quickly !


What exactly do you envisage him doing?

He can't reimpose military Reconstruction because he hasn't the troops. That was why it was abandoned in the first place [1]. And even if he could, it probably doesn't help much. Even while the troops were still there, nine out of eleven Southern States were "redeemed".

He can appoint more black postmasters and other Federal officials in the South, but as far as I can see that's about it, and it won't have much effect on race relations in the states concerned.

Also, he'll only have a two year "window" in which to do anything, since he loses control of Congress at the 1882 midterms.


[1] As a former First Lady put it "What was Mr Hayes to do? He had no army". A pardonable exaggeration, and one that holds just as true for Garfield.
 
It would be good for Garfield to avoid assassination, but there's no way Guiteau gets appointed to anything - he was delusional, unqualified, and wanted very important ambassadorships. Have him get arrested for something instead or something like that.
 
Top