▁He ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁law ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁Law ▁School ▁of ▁São ▁Paulo ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁( today ' s ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Law ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁São ▁Paulo ) ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁Pi rac ic aba ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁He ▁pract iced ▁law ▁there ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁of ▁Brazil , ▁Mor ais ▁belonged ▁first ▁to ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁as ▁a ▁monarch ist . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁an ▁al der man ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁pres iding ▁over ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Pi rac ic aba . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Paul ista ▁Republican ▁Party ▁( PR P ) ▁and ▁declared ▁himself ▁a ▁republic an ▁as ▁a ▁representative ▁in ▁the ▁Provin cial ▁Assembly . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁provincial ▁deput y ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁São ▁Paulo ▁and ▁deput y ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁as ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁republic an ▁form ▁of ▁government , ▁abol ition ▁of ▁sla very ▁and ▁federal ism . ▁As ▁provincial ▁deput y , ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁complex ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁borders ▁of ▁São ▁Paulo ▁with ▁Min as ▁G era is , ▁a ▁subject ▁on ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁expert . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁pro clam ation ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁his ▁Party ▁began ▁to ▁domin ate ▁national ▁politics , ▁and ▁M ora es