《美国总统 20 詹姆斯·加菲尔德.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《美国总统 20 詹姆斯·加菲尔德.docx(5页珍藏版)》请在优知文库上搜索。
1、美国总统20詹姆斯加菲尔德JamesGarfield:AssassinatedByKellyJeanKelly16July,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutJamesGarfield.Hewasthe20thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.Garfieldisnotoneofthebest-knownpresidents.Heservedonly100daysbeforehewasshot.ElevenweeksIaterzhediedfromhiswounds.
2、ButevenduringGarfieldsshorttimeinoffice,historianssayhispresidencyhadproblems.Earlylife1.ikethepresidentbeforehimzRutherfordB.HayeszGarfieldwasfromthestateofOhio.Garfieldsfatherdiedwhenhewasveryyoung.Thefuturepresidentwasraisedlargelybyhismother,twooldersistersandabrother.Amongallthepresidents,Garfi
3、eldprobablywasthemostpoorinhisearlyyears.Growingup,heworkedasafarmer,asailor,acarpenter,ateacherandajanitor.Finally,heearnedapositionasastudentatWilliamsCollegeinwesternMassachusetts.Garfieldlovedlearning.HeeventuallytaughtataschoolcalledtheEclecticInstitute.Later,hebecameitspresident.Garfieldmarrie
4、doneofhisstudentsattheEclecticInstitute,LucretiaRudolph.Shebecameateacher,too.JamesGarfieldandLucretiaRudolphThefuturepresidentandhiswifewentontohavesevenchildren.Foursonsandadaughtersurvivedtoadulthood.Intime,Garfieldmovedoutofeducationandintolawandpolitics.Hewasananti-slaveryactivistwhodidnotthink
5、theSouthernstateshadarighttowithdrawfromtheUnion.WhentheCivilWarcame,Garfieldwelcomedit.Duringthewar,Garfieldservedinthemilitaryasanofficer.Hewonawardsforhisbravery.Whilestillayoungmanzhewasappointedtothepositionofmajorgeneral.HisimageasawarherowassogreatthatGarfielddidnothavetocampaignforaseatinthe
6、U.S.HouseofRepresentatives.Hewaselectedonhisnamealone.CongressGarfieldswayofthinkingchangedwhilehewasinCongress.HebeganasoneofthemostextremeRadicalRepublicans.HewantedtopunishformerConfederateofficersseverely.Butzintime,Garfieldsoftenedhispositions.Helearnedtocompromisewithothergroupsinordertoachiev
7、eresultsforhisstate.ButhedidnotalwaysrepresenttheinterestsofworkersorfarmersinOhio.Garfieldsupportedbusinessintereststhatwantedtolimitthecountrysmoneysupply.Heopposedlaborunionsandcooperativefarmprograms,calledtheGrange.Garfieldalsobecamelinkedtoacorruptioncase.Heacceptedstocksharesinacompanythatwas
8、buildingarailroadacrossthecountry.Inexchange,Garfieldandothertopofficialseasedgovernmentrulessobusinessmancouldearnhigherprofitsfortheirwork.AlthoughGarfieldspoliticalcareersometimesdrewcriticism,hecontinuedtoriseingovernment.PresidencyWhenGarfieldbecamepresidentinMarch1881,hedidnothavewhatAmericans
9、callamandate-theapprovalofalargepartofthepopulation.Instead,heneededtomakecompromiseswithlawmakerstohelpwintheirsupport.Asaresult,thefirstweeksofhispresidencywereapoliticalstruggletoappointmemberstohiscabinetofadvisors.GarfieldalsoclashedwithapowerfulsenatorfromNewYorkState.Thesenatorwantedtocontinu
10、ethetraditionofpermittingsenatorstochoosewhogotgovernmentjobsintheirstates.ButPresidentGarfieldwantedtoputsomeonewhosharedhisownbeliefsinsomeofthetoppositionsinNewYork.Finally,thesenatorresignedinprotest.ButtheissuesetthetoneforGarfieldsshorttimeinoffice.Electedofficialsbattledeachotherforadvantages
11、andfinancialgain.OfficialsinGarfieldspartywereaccusedofcorruptionandwrongdoing.AndbeforeGarfieldcouldreallysuggestanyideasforgovernmentreform,hewasshotbysomeoneseekingagovernmentjobinexchangeforhispoliticalsupport.AssassinationOnJuly2,1881-fewerthanfourmonthsafterhetookoffice-Garfieldwasleavingforas
12、horttripwithtwoofhissons.TheyweregoingtotakeatraintoWilliams,thecollegeGarfieldhadattendedandloved.Thepresidentwassupposedtogiveaspeechthere.Butashewalkedthroughthetrainstation,amanwithagunsteppedbehindGarfieldandshotthepresidenttwice.OnebullettouchedGarfieldsarm.Theotherwentintohislowerback.Garfiel
13、ddidnotdieimmediately.Instead,hewastakenbacktotheWhiteHouse,wheredoctorstriedtoremovethebullet.OneofthemenwhotriedwasAlexanderGrahamBellztheinventorofthetelephone.Belltriedtofindthebulletbyusingadevicelikeametaldetectorthathehadinvented.ButthespringsonGarfieldsbedinterfered.NeitherBellnorthedoctorsw
14、ereabletoremovethebullet.Andzsomehistorianssay,theireffortsmayhavemadethesituationworse.Garfieldsufferedformorethantwomoremonths.Atonepoint,heseemedtoberecovering.ButonSeptember19,hefinallydied.Hewas49yearsold.Asforthegunmanzhewascapturedshortlyaftertheshooting.HisnamewasCharlesGuiteau.Guiteauwasala
15、wyerwithlittlemoney,butmanymentalproblems.Duringtheelectionof1880zhehadfirstsupportedthecandidacyofformerpresidentUlyssesS.Grant.WhenGarfieldwontheRepublicannominationinstead,Guiteausupportedhim.Guiteaudidnothaveanofficialroleintheelectioncampaign,andGarfielddidnotknowhim.ButovertimezGuiteaucametobe
16、lievethathewasresponsibleforGarfieldwinningthepresidency.Asaresult,GuiteauthoughtGarfieldowedhimagovernmentjob.GuiteauwrotethepresidentseverallettersrequestingpositionsasadiplomatinEurope.WhenGarfielddidnotwriteback,Guiteaugrewangry.HebelievedGarfieldwasruiningtheRepublicanPartyanddestroyingthecountry.Forweeks,Guiteaufollowedthepresidentandplottedtokillhim.WhenhesucceededinshootingGarfi