(02-23-2015 11:31 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  

(02-23-2015 04:32 PM)Smaug Wrote:  About to start Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. Reviews looked good. I'll update when I've finished it.

intriguing. definitely look forward to reading your thoughts

Enjoying it so far.

Things I didn't know about James Garfield:

He was a real rags to riches story. Born dirt poor, he talked himself into a teeny little jerkwater prep school "with no endowment and nary a powerful friend anywhere", where he paid his tuition by working as the janitor his first year. His second year, he was teaching classes. He came back after college and at the age of 26 was named school president.

He got the 1880 Republican nomination on the 39th ballot, and he wasn't even running. He was there to give the nomination speech for fellow Ohioan John Sherman (William T's younger brother), and against his wishes, and much to his dismay, got the nomination on the 39th ballot.

It's no wonder parties don't pick candidates on the convention floor any more. It was insane.

People talk about what might have been if Kennedy hadn't died, but I think it's a great philosophical question for Garfield.

He was a real reformer, particularly trying to shut down the spoils system and create a merit system for civil servants. Also, he was much more conciliatory to the south than Hayes was.

In his nomination speech for Sherman, "This is our only revenge - that you join us in lifting into the serene firmament of the Constitution...the immortal principles of truth and justice: that all men, white or black, shall be free, and shall stand equal before the law."