James Garfieldspent less prison term preside over the U.S. than any otherpresidentexcept one : William Henry Harrison , who died from what may have been an enteric infection about a month after his startup . Garfield ’s least sandpiper hold up little more than six month , until he was assassinate by a dissatisfied serviceman namedCharles Guiteau , who believe Garfield should ’ve granted him an ambassadorship . But while Garfield ’s administration was abruptly - lived , his life before the Oval Office was very full — and well - documented , thanks to his commitment to observe diaries . Now , the Library of Congress is necessitate people to helptranscribe them .
The volume are divided into three sections . The first , spanning the year 1848 through 1873 , starts when Garfield was still a teenager and cover his education at Ohio ’s Western Reserve Eclectic Institute ( of which he by and by became chairman ) ; his marriage to his wife , Lucretia ; his clip serve in the Union Army during theCivil War ; and his early year as an Ohio Republican in the House of Representatives . The 2d department , which terminate in 1879 , is a more elaborated portrait of Garfield ’s career in the House of Representatives . The third section admit , among other things , Garfield ’s unexpected nominating speech as the Republican Party ’s nominee for the worldwide election of 1880 — a decision made as a via media at the Republican National Convention , since delegate could n’t choose between John Sherman , James Blaine , andUlysses S. Grant .
The final subdivision also contains Garfield ’s lastdiary entryever , from July 1 , 1881 . “ This opening of the Fiscal Year , and sidereal day before my trip to New England , has been very full of workplace . Appointed very nearly 25 ministers and consul , ” he write . He never went on his trip to New England : Guiteau shot him in a train station the very next day , and Garfield died from complications from those bullet wounding more than two month later .
If you ’re concerned in transcribing some of more than 1600 documents from Garfield ’s journals , you could join the Library of Congress ’s efforthere .
