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James A. Garfield: James Garfield
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During the siege of Chattanooga, Garfield remained as chief-of-staff, but after Ulysses S. Grant engineered the breakout in November, 1863, Garfield left to take his congressional seat. His military background made him a logical choice for the Committee of Military Affairs, later serving on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and the Appropriations Committee. When Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Garfield was in the New York Financial District. Rioting broke out, but when Garfield appeared it quieted long enough for him to talk, ending with, "...Fellow citizens: God reigns and the government in Washington still lives." The riot ceased.
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Garfield pacified unhappy Sherman supporters by surrendering his new Senate seat, enabling Sherman to return to his old post. Throughout the summer of 1880, Garfield attempted to meet with the national committee and with Grant supporters, but he was never given an audience. In November Garfield returned to his farm in Mentor, Ohio, to wait them out.
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James Garfield was featured on series 1882 $5 National Currency notes, and the series 1886 $20 Gold Certificate. Both of these currency notes are considered to be of moderate rarity, and are quite valuable to collectors.
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Garfield was born on the Ohio frontier. He was a canal sailor, a teacher, and a farmer. After graduating from Williams College he became a professor of ancient languages and literature at Hiram Eclectic Institute.
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Guiteau was found guilty of assassinating Garfield, despite his lawyers raising an insanity defense. He insisted that incompetent medical care had really killed the President. Although historians generally agree that poor medical care was a contributing factor, it was not a legal defense. Guiteau was sentenced to death, and was executed by hanging on June 30, 1882, in Washington, D.C.
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In the spring of 1881, Garfield began the prosecution of the star route frauds, an attempt by post office employees. Before the case was brought to trial, private mail carriers came to a conclusion were they defrauded the government. Garfield’s career came to an abrupt end.
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James Garfield