"O indivíduo mais perigoso à causa da Monarquia" : as discussões políticas em torno de República, Federalismo e Constituinte nos impressos de Antônio Borges da Fonseca (1843-1855)

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the debate around the idea of republic – in addition to adjacent ideas such as federalism and constituent – uttered by the public writer from Paraíba Antônio Borges da Fonseca in Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro througho uthis newspapers published among the years of 1843 and 1855. The beginning of the section marks the debut of the newspaper O Nazareno, initially published in Nazaré and, years later, was transferred to Recife. The year 1855 was chosen due to the publicist's last publication in print called O República, published in Rio de Janeiro. In this space of time of the research is also inserted the movement that was called Insurreição Praieira, which Borges da Fonseca himself was one of the main protagonists, even publishing the famous “Manifesto ao Mundo”. The starting point for the analysis of the present research was the manifestations of the publicist in his printed matter, highlighting the aversion to the monarchy (and its institutions), as well as to the emperor; and glorifying the republic, federalism and a new constitution for the country . Thus, we highlight the role of the press in forming a public opinion capable of breaking the barriers of illiteracy. In addition to the two newspapers already mentioned, the third that will be worked on, also by Borges da Fonseca, is “A Revolução de Novembro”. One of the research's main arguments is that republican ideas were seen as the solution for the nation's development, highlighting the vices and abuses that held back the Brazilian monarchy, as well as the emperor, D. Pedro II. When using the qualitative approach, an interpretation of the sources around the context that was inserted will be noticeable. From the intersection of some newspapers studied, a huge debate between “monarchists” and “republicans” was perceptible, what helped to realize the political climate that Brazil was inserted. This work is in a perspective of New Political History, as well as Social History, focused on a study “from beneath”, of a writer who was considered “the most dangerous individual in the cause of the monarchy”.