7 ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Rio ▁P ardo ▁to ▁E us éb io ▁Ant ô nio ▁Gon ç al ves , ▁a ▁Portuguese ▁land ▁survey or , ▁and ▁to ▁Vic ência ▁C ând ida ▁da ▁Font ou ra , ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁pione er ▁family ▁of ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁do ▁Sul , ▁Brazil ' s ▁southern most ▁state . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁neighbor ing ▁town ▁of ▁C ach oe ira ▁do ▁Sul ▁as ▁a ▁te en ager ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁own ▁ret ail ▁business ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 2 0 s . ▁His ▁invol vement ▁in ▁politics ▁started ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁city ▁Coun c ill or ▁of ▁C ach oe ira ▁do ▁Sul . ▁ ▁R ag am uff in ▁War ▁( 1 8 3 5 – 4 5 ) ▁▁ ▁As ▁a ▁business man ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁ran ch ing ▁interests ▁of ▁Southern ▁Brazil , ▁Font ou ra ▁was ▁a ▁fier ce ▁critic ▁of ▁the ▁economic ▁policies ▁of ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁central ▁government , ▁which ▁fav ored ▁the ▁comm od ity ▁export ing ▁zones ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁to ▁the ▁det r iment ▁of ▁the ▁domestic - orient ed ▁economy ▁of ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁do ▁Sul . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁as ▁a ▁fre em ason ▁and ▁reader ▁of ▁liberal ▁philosoph ers , ▁Font ou ra ▁had ▁an ▁ing rained ▁ant ip ath y ▁towards ▁the ▁monarch ical ▁regime ▁of ▁Brazil . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁R ag am uff in