1860 Presidential Campaign Astrological Booklets (Set of Four)
Philadelphia, 1860 - 9 x 6 inches each
 
An unusual set of four campaign-era pamphlets issued by Broughton’s Monthly Planet Reader and Astrological Journal, each devoted to one of the principal presidential candidates of 1860 - Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, John Bell, and John C. Breckinridge. Each booklet combines biographical material with astrological charts and predictive commentary, reflecting the intersection of popular astrology and American political culture in the mid-nineteenth century.
 
Issued during one of the most consequential elections in the nation’s history, the pamphlets offer a revealing glimpse into contemporary efforts to interpret political outcomes through alternative frameworks of knowledge and belief. The editorial tone notably favors Douglas, despite Lincoln’s eventual electoral success, underscoring the uncertainty that characterized the campaign as the nation moved toward disunion.
 
Condition: Minor string holes from prior binding; otherwise excellent, with light scattered toning.