On May 3, 1823, in the same building that, a few decades earlier, had served as a cell for Tiradentes, representatives from (almost) all of Brazilian territory gathered together for the first time in assembly. From its opening, the Constituent Assembly showed itself to be a clearly divided environment. The biggest controversies lay in the distribution of powers between the Executive and the Legislative and in the question of the provinces' autonomy in relation to the government of Rio de Janeiro. There was apprehension that Pedro I might close the assembly. But they could not foresee whether this would actually happen — much less when.
The atmosphere was heating up outside the Constituent Assembly as well. There was a growing hostility in the streets between Brazilians and Portuguese. The newspapers circulating among Rio de Janeiro's population helped (quite a lot) to inflame this clash. One of these newspapers was the Sentinela da Praia Grande, run by the pamphleteer Francisco Antônio Soares.
Image description: The image is a black-and-white newspaper page. On the left side, there is a number "N° 16" above an illustration of a soldier in military uniform. In the center, there is a large, prominent title: "SENTINELLA DA LIBERDADE". Below it, there is more text and a date: "TERÇA FEIRA 16 DE SETEMBRO DE 1823". On the right, there are stamps and censorship marks. The background is white with simple graphic elements.Figura 1 —
Sentinela da Liberdade a Beira do Mar da Praia Grande [Periódico].
N.16, 16 setembro de 1823. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional
Under the pseudonym "Brasileiro Resoluto," Francisco published articles opposing the admission of Portuguese officers into the Brazilian military forces and the appointment of Portuguese individuals to positions of trust.
On November 5, the "Resolute Brazilian" named two officers: Major José Joaquim Januário Lapa and Captain Zeferino Pimentel Moreira. And, the following day, the Portuguese soldiers went after their anonymous tormentor. They concluded it was the Brazilian pharmacist David Pamplona Corte Real. They beat the man up and turned the act into a warning to everyone else. Pamplona, however, appealed to the assembly.
The matter was dealt with on November 10th. The people showed up in full force at the Cadeia Velha. The brothers (and constituents), Antônio Carlos, Martim Francisco and José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva took the floor in defense of the pharmacist. "Just heavens, and are we representatives? Of whom? (...) No, we are nothing, if, foolishly, we stand by without remedy while foreigners we adopted as nationals commit outrages against the people of Brazil". With this speech by Antônio Carlos, the Andrada brothers left the assembly acclaimed by the people.
Image description: This is a black-and-white painting depicting a man. He is facing the camera, with dark, wavy hair tied back behind his head. His expression is serene. He wears a classic suit with a high collar and a white bow tie. The background is yellowed, suggesting age or deterioration. Below the portrait, there is text in Portuguese, but it cannot be fully read.Figura 2 —
Antonio Carlos Ro. de Andra. Machado e Silva.
Miguelzinho Dutra, 1839. Museu Paulista/USP.
From the windows of the Paço Imperial, D. Pedro I watched that anti-Portuguese exaltation. The Constituent Assembly also seemed to him to increasingly challenge his authority. His inner circle had come to be composed almost exclusively of Portugal-born men like himself. The emperor considered that episode the last straw. He armed his soldiers and ordered the garrisons on standby, waiting only for a pretext. And it wasn't long in coming.
The deployment of the troops sparked protests at the following day's session. In a tug-of-war with the Emperor, the deputies decided to remain at the Cadeia Velha, in a vigil that became known as "The Night of Agony." The name lived up to the feeling shared among the parliamentarians. The apprehension proved justified on the morning of November 12, when the emperor decreed the immediate closure of the Constituent Assembly and the arrest of six deputies — among them, the three Andrada brothers. With the dissolution of parliament, Brazil's Constitution was left in the hands of legislators hand-picked by the Emperor. A few months later, on March 25, 1824, the Empire's magna carta was put into practice — or rather, imposed, which is why it became known as "the Outorgada."
Image description: This is a painting depicting a man dressed in an elaborate military uniform. He is standing, holding a book and a sword. The background shows a window overlooking a garden with a fountain and distant buildings. To the left, there is a vase with quill pens and an open notebook. The man has short hair and wears a green and red sash over his right shoulder.Figura 4 –
D. Pedro I [segurando a constituição].
Manuel de Araújo Porto-Alegre, 1826. Museu Histórico Nacional.
Bibliographic References
CARVALHO, José Murilo de; BASTOS, Lúcia; BASILE, Marcello. To Arms, Citizens!: handwritten pamphlets of Brazil's independence (1820-1823). Editora Companhia das Letras, 2012.
ENDERS, Armelle. A história do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro: Gryphus Editora, 2015.
MARSON, Izabel Andrade; OLIVEIRA, Cecília Helena L. de Salles (Orgs.). Monarquia, liberalismo e negócios no Brasil: 1780-1860. São Paulo: Edusp, 2013.
PEDREIRA, Jorge Miguel Viana; COSTA, Fernando Dores. D. João VI: a prince between two continents. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2008.
SHULTZ, Kristen. Tropical Versailles: Empire, Monarchy, and the Portuguese Royal Court in Rio de Janeiro, 1808-1821. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira, 2008.
STARLING, Heloisa Maria Murgel; DE LIMA, Marcela Telles (Orgs.). Vozes do Brasil: political language during Brazilian Independence (1820-1824). Brasília: Edições do Senado Federal, 202
