1859 Riograndense general election (Rags to Riches)

The 1859 Riograndense general election was held on August 21, 1859 to elect the fourth president and the fourth Chamber of Deputies of the Riograndense Republic. The election marked the solidification of the republican regime and the end of any viable opposition to the liberal ideals that had founded the Republic. This election was also marked by the run of independent Antônio Coruja as a radical candidate that called for increased social reforms, such as free, secular and compulsory education or the full separation of Church and state.

Background
Held during the middle of the period of the Liberal Consensus, the election was effectively decided before the campaign began. The popular Liberal government of the previous decades was marked by the continuing stability of its institutions and the slow, but steady, economic growth that had taken place over the mid-19th century. The radicals of the party supported the independent candidate Coruja for the presidency, despite their continuing support of the Liberal Party in local and legislative elections.