Changes of system of government

The system of absolute government, which had prevailed in Portugal for seven centuries, was overthrown by the revolution that broke out in Porto on 24 August 1820 and established representative government. In the article Constituição de 1821 we gave a detailed account of how this new system of government was proclaimed in this archipelago.

On 3 June 1823 John VI issued a proclamation to the nation dissolving the Cortes (Portuguese parliament), abolishing the Constitution of 1821 and restoring absolute government. On the 17th of the same month the old system of government was solemnly proclaimed in Madeira, as we have already described at some length in the article Alçadas (vol. I, p. 31).

John VI died on 10 March 1826, and his son Prince Dom Pedro was recognised as king. On 29 April of the same year he granted a Constitutional Charter (Carta Constitucional) and at once ordered the Cortes to be convened. The Charter was proclaimed in Madeira with great splendour and enthusiasm on 6, 7 and 8 August 1826, the last day being set aside for swearing the oath to it. The elections were held on 5 October following, and those elected deputies were Dr Lourenço José Moniz, Manuel Caetano Pimenta de Aguiar, Father Caetano Alberto Soares and Luís Monteiro.

Prince Dom Miguel, regent of the Kingdom (reino, i.e. mainland Portugal), dissolved the Cortes on 13 March 1828 and afterwards proclaimed himself absolute king, by decision of the Three Estates, which had met on 3 May of the same year. In the articles Ocupação da Madeira pelas tropas miguelistas and Proclamação do governo absoluto we shall give a more detailed account of this event, which took place here amid great commotion on 24 August 1828.

When the civil war had been ended by the Convention of Évora-Monte, Dom Pedro, by decree of 28 May 1834, ordered the electoral assemblies to be convened and restored representative government. We shall deal at length with how this event was celebrated in this archipelago in the article Proclamação do Governo Constitucional.

On 4 October 1910 a revolution broke out in Lisbon, and on the following day it proclaimed the Republic. On 6 October Dr Manuel Augusto Martins took office as civil governor of this district, and there were various public demonstrations of rejoicing on that occasion.