July 5, 1881 by Michael Ceraolo
July 5, 1881 Garfield: "History is but the unrolled scroll of Prophecy" Guiteau: As I have now entered History, I will enter on the Record how I compose my Prophecies: "I weave the discourse out of my brain as cotton is woven into a fabric When I compose my brain is in a white heat, and my mind works like lightning" A fine example of that work would be what has come to be known to History as the Garfield vs. Hancock speech, a speech I gave once to great effect That speech, and all my writings "I write so rapidly I can hardly read it . . . I divest myself of all unnecessary clothing I eat and sleep mechanically" ***"This poem is from Eighty Days , dramatic monologues for each of the days from July 2nd through September 19th , the period from the day when President James Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau to the day he died."***