viii, 355 pp. (8vo) original blue cloth, lettered in gilt. First edition.

Inscribed by the author on the front free-endpaper: “Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield. Nov. 6, 1911. Mary L. Hinsdale." First Lady Lucretia R. Garfield's signature on a 4x1¾” card affixed on the same page. above the inscription. Each President’s cabinet, from Washington to Taft, is listed with dates served, followed by a narrative. Garfield’s chapter examines the President-elect’s difficulties in assembling his Cabinet, pleasing both wings of the Republican Party, the Stalwarts who had supported U.S. Grant for a third term and the moderates, supporters of James G. Blaine, as well as having representation of northerners and southerners. The only reference to his assassination was “President Garfield’s long illness, extending from July 2 to September 19, 1881, threw the Executive into a situation that there was no precedent for dealing with … the President, who was much of the time apprized of the course of public affairs, was fully competent to delegate extraordinary functions to his Secretary of State, had he desired to do so…”