The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Furtado, Francisco José

FURTADO, foor-tä'dō, Francisco José, Brazilian statesman: b. Oeiras (Piauhy), 13 Aug. 1818; d. Rio de Janeiro, 23 June 1870. After graduating from the Academy of Law at Caxias and serving for some time as judge, he entered politics and rose to be leader of the Liberals. In 1847 he was elected deputy and re-elected several times. In 1856 he was elected president of the new province of Amazonas, remaining such until 1859, when he was made Minister of Justice. In 1864 he was elected senator, but held that position for a few months only, and in August 1864 was made Premier and Minister of State, in which position he did much toward the establishment of a good monetary system. During his term of office as Minister of State the dispute with Uruguay was settled and war between Brazil and Paraguay was declared. In 1870 he was again a member of the Senate and as such, being an opponent of slavery, exerted all his influence in behalf of legislation looking toward its final abolition.