▁War , ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 3 5 , ▁Font ou ra ▁joined ▁the ▁reb els ▁and ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁milit ia ▁in ▁Rio ▁P ardo ▁and ▁C ach oe ira ▁do ▁Sul . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁of ▁the ▁Ri og rand ense ▁Republic ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁Elect ed ▁to ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Assembly ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 2 – 4 3 , ▁he ▁progress ively ▁became ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁an ▁opposition ▁party ▁to ▁the ▁main ▁military ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁u pr ising , ▁B ento ▁Gon ç al ves ▁da ▁Silva . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁his ▁Republican ▁ide als , ▁Font ou ra ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁do ▁Sul ▁at ▁any ▁cost . ▁As ▁the ▁war ▁evol ved , ▁he ▁got ▁convinced ▁that ▁a ▁diplom atic ▁effort ▁would ▁be ▁prefer able ▁to ▁a ▁military ▁es cal ation ▁of ▁the ▁conflict , ▁which ▁would ▁damage ▁even ▁further ▁the ▁state ▁economy . ▁ ▁Chief - neg oti ator ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁of ▁Pon che ▁Ver de ▁▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁all ▁re bel ▁leaders ▁r al lied ▁behind ▁Font ou ra ▁and ▁chose ▁him ▁as ▁chief - neg oti ator ▁of ▁the ▁tal ks ▁with ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁central ▁government . ▁Sent ▁to ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro , ▁then ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁Empire , ▁he ▁managed ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁an ▁agreement ▁that ▁allowed