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[[File:Guiteau1.jpg|thumb|right|230px|[[Charles Julius Guiteau]], who shot President Garfield.]]

[[File:Guiteau1.jpg|thumb|right|230px|[[Charles Julius Guiteau]], who shot President Garfield.]]

Following Garfield's narrow victory, the deluded Guiteau believed the election result was attributed to his speech, and thus believed that he was deserving of a position in the new presidential administration.<ref name=npsinfo/> He sought a consulship to [[Paris]], though faced disappointment upon arriving at [[Washington, D.C.]] when he was viewed merely as a nuisance. Blaine, who became [[Secretary of State]], snapped at Guiteau:<ref name=npsinfo/>

Following Garfield's narrow victory, the deluded Guiteau believed the election result was attributed to his speech, and thus believed that he was deserving of a position in the new presidential administration.<ref name=npsinfo/> He sought a consulship to [[Paris]], though faced disappointment upon arriving at [[Washington, D.C.]] when he was viewed merely as a nuisance. Blaine, who became [[Secretary of State]], snapped at Guiteau:<ref name=npsinfo/>

{{cquote|Do not ask me about the Paris consulship ever again!|||James Gillespie Blaine, May 14, 1881}}

{{cquote|Do not ask me about the Paris consulship ever again!|||James G. Blaine, May 14, 1881}}

Guiteau's realization that the spoils system was faltering following his inability to obtain a government position led to him to believe patronage could be saved by removing Garfield from the White House.<ref name=npsinfo/> He stalked the president for several days before shooting him on July 2, 1881. When caught at the scene (where Blaine and [[Robert Todd Lincoln]] was present) and dragged away, Guiteau exclaimed:<ref name=npsinfo/>

Guiteau's realization that the spoils system was faltering following his inability to obtain a government position led to him to believe patronage could be saved by removing Garfield from the White House.<ref name=npsinfo/> He stalked the president for several days before shooting him on July 2, 1881. When caught at the scene (where Blaine and [[Robert Todd Lincoln]] was present) and dragged away, Guiteau exclaimed:<ref name=npsinfo/>