Gold Fever
President Polk’s last State of the Union address on December 5, 1848, verified the gold strike in California which had been dismissed as rumors.140 The president spoke of the ghost towns that resulted from those who walked away from their jobs to search for gold and how ships could not keep a crew for lack of sailors.There was an enormous exodus of mostly men with ‘gold fever’ that would leave behind their families for the dream of wealth as Neptune of dreams and illusions was emphasized. The stationary retrograde Jupiter was an eight-three-year return to the massive boycott of British goods by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty in December of 1765, which also had a major effect on the economy. (more on stationary returns)
Transits to Cycles and Eclipses on December 5, 1848.
- Stationary Jupiter 22 Leo 31 opposition Jupiter-Neptune 20 Aquarius 57 orb 1.34.
- Sun 13 Sagittarius 46 square Solar eclipse 15 Pisces 08 orb 1.22.
- Mercury 25 Scorpio 58 square Saturn-Neptune 27 Aquarius 18 orb 1.20.
- Mercury 25 Scorpio 58 square Uranus-Pluto 28 Leo 53 orb 2.55.
- Venus 17 Capricorn 55 square Solar eclipse 15 Libra 27 orb 2.28.
- Mars 27 Scorpio 53 square Saturn-Neptune 27 Aquarius 18 orb 0.35.
- Mars 27 Scorpio 53 square Uranus-Pluto 28 Leo 53 orb 1.00.
- Saturn 18 Pisces 43 conjunct Lunar eclipse 20 Pisces 33 orb 1.50.
- Chiron 19 Scorpio 55 square Jupiter-Neptune 20 Aquarius 57 orb 1.02.
Transits to Federal Chart on December 5, 1848.
- Stationary Jupiter 22 Leo 31 opposition Venus 21 Aquarius 31 orb 1.00.
- Sun 13 Sagittarius 46 square Sun 14 Pisces 07 orb 0.20.
- Sun 13 Sagittarius 46 square Saturn 13 Pisces 35 orb 0.11.
- Sun 13 Sagittarius 46 opposition Chiron 15 Gemini 24 orb 1.38.
- Mercury 25 Scorpio 58 conjunct Ascendant 27 Scorpio 19 orb 1.21.
- Mercury 25 Scorpio 58 square Mars 28 Aquarius 43 orb 2.53.
- Venus 17 Capricorn opposition Jupiter 19 Cancer 58 orb 2.04.
- Mars 27 Scorpio 53 square Mars 28 Aquarius 43 orb 0.51.
- Mars 27 Scorpio 53 conjunct Ascendant 27 Scorpio 19 orb 0.33.
- Saturn 18 Pisces 43 conjunct Lilith 18 Pisces 05 orb 0.38.
- Uranus 18 Aries 30 square Jupiter 19 Cancer 58 orb 1.28.
- Chiron 19 Scorpio 55 square Venus 21 Aquarius 31 orb 1.36.
The stationary Jupiter of wealth, in the sign of Leo gold opposed Venus of desire as the announcement was made. The excessive desire was further emphasized in a double whammy as the transiting Venus opposed the Federal Jupiter. (more on keywords)
The Sun in aspect to the Federal Sun, Saturn and Chiron as the transiting Saturn was conjunct Lilith indicated the dangerous vulnerability. The fevered response of the public to race to the gold fields was denoted in Mars on the Ascendant and square the Federal Mars with Neptune conjunct Mars. The double-edged sword of the magnificent discovery was the labor force difficulties as workers walked off the job with gold fever. (more on transits to nation charts)
New Direction
On March 5, 1849, at his inauguration, there was a delayed entrance by President Polk and General Taylor until 12:30 pm. General Taylor had a brief conversation with the Justices and then led the way to the eastern portico to take the oath at 12:40 pm.141 (more on Presidential Inaugurations)The unpretentious General Taylor intended to remake the aristocratic Whig party from its hardline orthodox positions to create a larger tent of more moderate nationalists, ‘Taylor Republicans’.142
Stationary Mercury at 27 Aquarius aspected the opposing cycles of Uranus-Pluto at 28 Leo and Saturn-Neptune at 27 Aquarius. The stationary Mercury thirteen-year stationary return to the Alamo connected the Mexican War to his inauguration as well as the seventy-nine-year return of Mercury to the Boston Massacre, an event that had been a precursor of war.
Transiting Saturn at 26 Pisces 26 was coming out of shadow and to make a Saturn return after thirty years to the Saturn-Pluto cycle at 27 Pisces 04. The Sun at 15 Pisces 05 was conjunct a Solar eclipse at 15 Pisces 08 a year earlier.
The stationary Mercury at 27 Aquarius was square the transiting Chiron at 26 Scorpio to aspect the Federal Mars at 28 Aquarius and Ascendant at 27 Scorpio which warned of an administration embattled in relentless attacks.
The Sun at 15 Pisces engaged with the transiting betrayer Lilith at 14 Sagittarius would aspect the emphasized Federal Chiron at 15 Gemini, the Federal Sun 14 Pisces, and Saturn at 13 Pisces, a besieged presidency. (more on emphasized planets)
The Moon at 03 Leo 53 in opposition to Mars 03 Aquarius 59 was square Venus 01 Taurus. In three days there would be a Lunar eclipse at 18 Virgo in opposition to the Federal Lilith at 18 Pisces.
The new administration needed to contend with the fallout of the gold announcement. The surge in population and lawlessness as fortune hunters descended on California forced a need for government. The Trial of the Hounds on July 19, 1849, in San Francisco became an example of the danger of vigilante justice at the hands of gangs as Saturn turned retrograde at 08 Aries to square its position to Jupiter-Saturn at 08 Capricorn.143
Saturn was a fifty-nine-year stationary return to the Compromise of 1790, which had the goal of holding the states together. At that time, Hamilton as a Federalist wanted the greater power to rest at the federal level with a bank so moneyed elites would have a stake in the new government continuing.
Jefferson and Madison as Democratic-Republicans, opposed the Federalists desire for federal assumption of the states’ war debts. Compromise ended the deadlock with the plan for the United States capitol in the District of Columbia.144 The Residence Act was signed on July 16, 1790, as Saturn was stationary retrograde at 05 Aries 55 in close square to the Paris Treaty that had Saturn stationary direct at 05 Capricorn 57 in 1783.
Standing Against Slavery
President Taylor set out to have both New Mexico and California form state constitutions rather than being territories first. In the annual message to Congress on December 4, 1849, he endorsed their statehood applications without slavery.145 For President Taylor to stand against slavery in these new areas of the country deeply angered southern politicians including the leader of his own Whig party, the Kentucky Senator Henry Clay.
He planted his feet firmly as Saturn went stationary direct that day at 01 Aries with the transiting Mars square at 01 Cancer in a stand and fight moment. Mars and Saturn aspected the Uranus-Neptune at 03 Capricorn and Jupiter-Uranus at 03 Aries.
This was a fifty-nine-year Saturn stationary return to Congress being opened at the interim Capitol due to the Residence Act as Saturn changed direction. Mars had been at 01 Cancer on May 13, 1846, when Congress declared war on Mexico. Mars was again at 01 Cancer as a Mexican War hero stood against the expansion of slavery and took the fight to Congress to keep the country united.
On December 13, 1849, Georgia Congressman Robert Toombs threatened disunion on the House floor if slavery was banned in California and New Mexico as it would disrupt the Senate balance of power of fifteen slave states and fifteen free states.146 Stationary Saturn still opposed the Declaration Midheaven as transiting square of the Sun at 21 Sagittarius and Jupiter at 22 Virgo aspected the Declaration Neptune at 22 Virgo and the Mars at 21 Gemini.
President Taylor took a hard line against the spread of slavery as the stationary Saturn at 01 Aries with Mars at 01 Cancer aspected the Declaration Venus at 03 Cancer and Midheaven at 01 Libra which prompted a fierce fight from all sides. The Sun at 12 Sagittarius was conjunct the Ascendant at 12 Sagittarius in a public display as policy Jupiter at 21 Virgo was conjunct the Declaration Neptune of slavery at 22 Virgo.
On December 13, 1849, Georgia Congressman Robert Toombs threatened disunion on the House floor if slavery was banned in California and New Mexico as it would disrupt the Senate balance of power of fifteen slave states and fifteen free states.146 Stationary Saturn still opposed the Declaration Midheaven as transiting square of the Sun at 21 Sagittarius and Jupiter at 22 Virgo aspected the Declaration Neptune at 22 Virgo and the Mars at 21 Gemini.
It was said President Taylor responded, “that if it became necessary, in executing the laws, he would take command of the army himself, and that, if they were taken in rebellion against the Union, he would hang them with less reluctance than he had hung deserters and spies in Mexico!” Mercury was stationary with transiting Mars at 22 Gemini square the Federal Mercury at 22 Pisces for this fiery confrontation.
The threat to dissolve the union had the transiting Sun and Neptune both at critical 04 Pisces to square the Federal Moon at 04 Gemini, a year earlier a Solar eclipse had occurred at 04 Pisces. Venus was at 02 Pisces to square the Federal North Node at 01 Sagittarius as the transiting North Node at 23 Leo opposed the Federal Venus at 21 Aquarius in a double whammy. The stationary Mercury was a thirteen-year return to the first steps to recognize the Republic of Texas by the Senate on February 12, 1837.147
Within days, President Taylor announced he would be sending in troops to defend New Mexico from Texas claims on their territory. This prompted another visit from Toombs with Congressman Stephens on July 3, 1850, in an attempt to convince the president against the move. Stephens also later met with the Secretary of the Navy with threats to impeach the president if he sent troops to protect New Mexico.
The dispositor of the new cycle, Mars at 28 Leo was in opposition to the Declaration Moon at 27 Aquarius and conjunct Lilith at 27 Leo. Transiting Mercury at 20 Gemini was conjunct an emphasized Mars at 21 Gemini and square the Declaration Neptune at 22 Virgo. The impeachment would be unnecessary, as he would be dead within two weeks of the Uranus-Pluto cycle formation, that brought a Uranus change in Pluto power.
Suspicious Death
President Taylor would become ill the day after celebrations at the unfinished Washington Monument and died a few days later, on July 9, 1850, at 10:35 pm.148 Uranus had just entered the sign of Taurus on July 8, 1850. A Virgo health issue was declared the cause of death while whispers of Pisces poison persisted with transits on his death to cycles and eclipses involving Pisces or Neptune that left lingering doubts. The Moon at 25 Cancer opposed Lilith at 24 Capricorn hinted of unseen sinister forces with Lilith. President Taylor’s death was seen as too convenient as it ushered in a more amendable President Fillmore.
The timed chart of his death had a Midheaven at 26 Sagittarius 45, the exact same as the Constitution Lilith at 26 Sagittarius 45, with transiting Mercury in opposition at 27 Gemini. The Ascendant of his death at 24 Pisces 05 was in opposition to the Constitution Sun at 24 Virgo 50.
Transiting Jupiter at 18 Virgo conjunct Constitution Venus would seem to support that he had eaten a large amount of fruit and Virgo rules cholera, which had been cited as the cause of death. The emphasized Neptune as the ruler of assassination, poisonings, conspiracies and hoaxes, involved both luminaries with the Sun at 17 Cancer square Neptune at 17 Libra and Neptune at 06 Pisces square the Constitution Moon at 07 Sagittarius with Chiron conjunct at 05 Sagittarius.
After his death, Congress would pass The Fugitive Slave Act on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850. Rather than a matter of state law, the law made retrieval of escaped slaves a federal matter, with heavy penalties for anyone interfering in the capture and return of a slave.149
After his death, Congress would pass The Fugitive Slave Act on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850. Rather than a matter of state law, the law made retrieval of escaped slaves a federal matter, with heavy penalties for anyone interfering in the capture and return of a slave.149
The Fugitive Slave Act had Jupiter at 01 Libra in opposition to the stationary Saturn at 01 Aries and square the Mars at 01 Cancer of President Taylor’s message to Congress.
Rumors persisted that President Taylor may have been poisoned. After one hundred and forty-one years, on June 17, 1991, his body was exhumed and tested for arsenic to put the speculations to rest.150 The medical examiner announced on June 27, 1991, that the president had not died of arsenic poisoning.151
There was a Lunar eclipse at 05 Capricorn that day conjunct the Paris Saturn at 05 Capricorn as transiting Saturn at 05 Aquarius 32 opposed the Paris Lilith at 05 Leo 30. For some reason, rather than a written medical report, only an undated, unsigned summary was later released that his symptoms were consistent with arsenic poisoning, which allowed the confusing Neptune fog to remain.152
In the years following President Taylor’s death, the political divisions inflated to the point that on January 15, 1857, a State of Disunion convention was held in Worcester, Massachusetts with Pluto stationary direct at 03 Taurus. The convention was called following the election of the Democrat President James Buchanan referred to as a “Pro-Slavery Government, and a rapid increase in the hostility between the two sections of the Union”.
In the years following President Taylor’s death, the political divisions inflated to the point that on January 15, 1857, a State of Disunion convention was held in Worcester, Massachusetts with Pluto stationary direct at 03 Taurus. The convention was called following the election of the Democrat President James Buchanan referred to as a “Pro-Slavery Government, and a rapid increase in the hostility between the two sections of the Union”.
The convention opened stating, “Believing the existing Union to be a failure, as being a hopeless attempt to unite under one government two antagonistic system of society, which diverge more widely with every year” as they met to consider a separation of Free States and Slave States in the belief that the Democratic party performed at the behest of slavery.153
The convention speech of William Lloyd Garrison referred to the necessary separation from the Loyalist Tories who sided with the mother country during the revolution and equated it to the need to separate the North from the pro-slavery South.
The convention speech of William Lloyd Garrison referred to the necessary separation from the Loyalist Tories who sided with the mother country during the revolution and equated it to the need to separate the North from the pro-slavery South.
He was followed by Wendell Phillips, who drew a line to the Fugitive Slave Law, which made millions of people into slavecatchers, a law that he believed could not have been executed upon 1789 Boston yet had been in 1850 through compromise.
The following year, on June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln addressed the Illinois Republican convention and gave his ‘House Divided’ speech that drove home the point that slavery would cease or slavery would become law across the land eventually.154
The Mexican War began in 1846 with an eclipse at 05 Taurus 04 as polarization over slavery had spread, eventually there was an end to the Civil War. Nineteen years later, on April 25, 1865, the Solar eclipse was again at 05 Taurus 21. General Lee would surrender at 2:45 pm on April 9, 1865, followed by Johnston surrender to Sherman on April 26, 1865, the day after the eclipse.157 The end of the American Revolution also had Solar eclipse connections.
141. Oliver Otis Howard, General Taylor, 317-318; Tarboro’ Press, Tarborough, NC, March 17, 1849, 1. Noted 12:40 pm oath.
142. Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy, 633-634.
143. Earl S. Pomeroy, “The Trial of the Hounds: A Witness’s Account,” California Historical Society Quarterly 29, no. 2 (1950): 161-165.
144. Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy, 45; Don Alexander Hawkins, “Unbuilt Washington: Thomas Jefferson’s Federal Town,” Washington History 31, no.1 (2019): 108.
145. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 193.
146. Gerald S. Greenberg, “Ohioans vs. Georgians: The Galphin Claim, Zachary Taylor's Death, and the Congressional Adjournment Vote of 1850,” The Georgia Historical Quarterly 74, no. 4 (1990): 580-583; Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 196.
147. Ethel Zivley Rather, “Recognition of the Republic of Texas by the United States,” The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association 13, no. 3 (1910): 251.
148. The Southern Press (DC), July 10, 1850, 2; The Daily (DC) Union, July 10, 1850, 3. Stated time of death as 10:35 pm.
149. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 198.
150. Michel Marriott, “ Ex-President Zachary Taylor’s Remains Exhumed From Crypt,” Lewiston Tribune, June 18, 1991. https://www.lmtribune.com/northwest/ex-president-zachary-taylors-remains-exhumed-from-crypt/article_9fab39ac-3620-5272-bb77-a2c81fedd3e7.html.
151. Eric Harrison, “Zachary Taylor Did Not Die of Arsenic Poisoning, Test Indicate,” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1991. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-27-mn-2064-story.html.
152. Robert C. Williams, The Forensic Historian: Using Science to Reexamine the Past, (New York: Routledge, 2015), 44-48.
153. J. M. W. Yerrinton, Proceedings of the State of Disunion Convention Held at Worcester, Massachusetts, (Boston: Printed for the Committee, 1857), 4-8, 32-33, 46; Massachusetts State Disunion Convention, Proceedings of the State of Disunion Convention Held at Worcester, Massachusetts, January 15, 1857, accessed April 20, 2021, https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofsta00mass/page/n3/mode/2up.
154. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 216.
155. Marc-William Palen, “The Civil War’s Forgotten Transatlantic Tariff Debate and the Confederacy’s Free Trade Diplomacy,” Journal of the Civil War Era 3, no. 1 (2013): 35-61.
156. John S. D. Eisenhower, Zachary Taylor The American Presidents, (New York: Times Books, 2008), xviiii.
157. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 375, 655. Notes that surrender was on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox, VA.
The following year, on June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln addressed the Illinois Republican convention and gave his ‘House Divided’ speech that drove home the point that slavery would cease or slavery would become law across the land eventually.154
The battle lines had been drawn in the fifteen years from Aries entry of Uranus. (In the colonial period there had been fifteen years from the entry until Lexington.) Lincoln’s speech also had Uranus in Gemini with a stationary Mars, an event that jolted the public awake, much like Lexington.
Passage of Federal laws such as the Morrill Tariff on March 2, 1861, to benefit northern manufactures escalated contentions with the south which provided eighty percent of Britain’s raw cotton.155 In an effort to prevent secession, that same day Congress passed the Corwin Amendment to make it impossible to abolish slavery.
Passage of Federal laws such as the Morrill Tariff on March 2, 1861, to benefit northern manufactures escalated contentions with the south which provided eighty percent of Britain’s raw cotton.155 In an effort to prevent secession, that same day Congress passed the Corwin Amendment to make it impossible to abolish slavery.
Transiting Mars at 08 Taurus was conjunct transiting Pluto at 07 Taurus to square the Constitution Ascendant as the transiting Uranus at 08 Gemini opposed the Constitution Moon at 07 Sagittarius. It has been said that President Taylor was one man who might have prevented the Civil War if he had lived.156
The Mexican War began in 1846 with an eclipse at 05 Taurus 04 as polarization over slavery had spread, eventually there was an end to the Civil War. Nineteen years later, on April 25, 1865, the Solar eclipse was again at 05 Taurus 21. General Lee would surrender at 2:45 pm on April 9, 1865, followed by Johnston surrender to Sherman on April 26, 1865, the day after the eclipse.157 The end of the American Revolution also had Solar eclipse connections.
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Notes
140. Barry L. Dutka, “New York Discovers Gold! In California,” California History 63, no. 4 (1984): 315. 141. Oliver Otis Howard, General Taylor, 317-318; Tarboro’ Press, Tarborough, NC, March 17, 1849, 1. Noted 12:40 pm oath.
142. Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy, 633-634.
143. Earl S. Pomeroy, “The Trial of the Hounds: A Witness’s Account,” California Historical Society Quarterly 29, no. 2 (1950): 161-165.
144. Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy, 45; Don Alexander Hawkins, “Unbuilt Washington: Thomas Jefferson’s Federal Town,” Washington History 31, no.1 (2019): 108.
145. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 193.
146. Gerald S. Greenberg, “Ohioans vs. Georgians: The Galphin Claim, Zachary Taylor's Death, and the Congressional Adjournment Vote of 1850,” The Georgia Historical Quarterly 74, no. 4 (1990): 580-583; Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 196.
147. Ethel Zivley Rather, “Recognition of the Republic of Texas by the United States,” The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association 13, no. 3 (1910): 251.
149. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 198.
150. Michel Marriott, “ Ex-President Zachary Taylor’s Remains Exhumed From Crypt,” Lewiston Tribune, June 18, 1991. https://www.lmtribune.com/northwest/ex-president-zachary-taylors-remains-exhumed-from-crypt/article_9fab39ac-3620-5272-bb77-a2c81fedd3e7.html.
151. Eric Harrison, “Zachary Taylor Did Not Die of Arsenic Poisoning, Test Indicate,” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1991. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-27-mn-2064-story.html.
152. Robert C. Williams, The Forensic Historian: Using Science to Reexamine the Past, (New York: Routledge, 2015), 44-48.
153. J. M. W. Yerrinton, Proceedings of the State of Disunion Convention Held at Worcester, Massachusetts, (Boston: Printed for the Committee, 1857), 4-8, 32-33, 46; Massachusetts State Disunion Convention, Proceedings of the State of Disunion Convention Held at Worcester, Massachusetts, January 15, 1857, accessed April 20, 2021, https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofsta00mass/page/n3/mode/2up.
154. Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry, Webster’s Guide to American History, 216.
155. Marc-William Palen, “The Civil War’s Forgotten Transatlantic Tariff Debate and the Confederacy’s Free Trade Diplomacy,” Journal of the Civil War Era 3, no. 1 (2013): 35-61.
156. John S. D. Eisenhower, Zachary Taylor The American Presidents, (New York: Times Books, 2008), xviiii.
157. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 375, 655. Notes that surrender was on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox, VA.