James A. Garfield won the Republican presidential nomination in 1880 through an eloquent speech nominating another candidate. When delegates couldn't agree on one of the favorites, they nominated Garfield himself. An influential congressman from Ohio. Garfield was an ordained minister who had been chosen president of a small Ohio college while still in his twenties. Elected by a paper-thin margin with help from the powerful Republican machine in New York State. Garfield repudiated these same New York leaders weeks after taking office in March 1881. This signaled his intention to support reform of corrupt machine polities. Then, on July 2, he was shot by a disappointed office-seeker. He lingered through the summer, but died of his wounds in September. Vice President Chester A. Arthur -- one of the machine politicians from New York -- succeeded to the presidency. Book jacket.