My History Group is doing a program on the Constitution and I am presenting a report on James Madison, the often neglected Father of the United States Constitution. So, of course, I have to run to my software to see what his chart looks like!
Jemmy as he was called by his family has a fascinating combination right on his first house. Remember, that is the house of how we express ourselves to the world. He has as his rising sign, the sign on the cusp of his first house, Sagittarius. A Ha, the novice might say, there is an outgoing, robust, adventurous person! As usual, the novice would be wrong. Look what is sandwiching his Sagittarius rising sign— Pluto and Saturn.
Anyone with Saturn in the first house, especially with one so close to the ascendant, is going to have a somber, perhaps even depressive personality. Madison was so shy, so withdrawn in a social setting that is said his effervescent wife, Dolley, had the band play a song to let people know he was in the room. This, if the story is correct, is the origins of playing “Hail to the Chief” when the President enters a room.
Pluto on the first house cusp gives someone the almost obsessive need to improve themselves .Pluto demands slow and grinding change – it gives a purpose and sense that one must make something of themselves. Important it is although not necessarily fun!
Looking a bit further we can see he has a Moon hidden in his 12th house, next to the sign of our deepest wound issue, Chiron. Both of these are in the deep, passionate, introspective, very serious sign of Scorpio (ruled by Pluto. See the double Pluto hit?) Any “personal planet” – Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, and Mars in the 12th house makes a person secretive and guarded.
Can you see how this 5’4” 100 pound man was often described as a withered apple john? Everything about him was inward, driven and somber!
Next- I will look at his North and South Node axis which he used so well – thankfully for all of us!
