The Courtier-Liberal alliance held near absolute sway over Brazilian politics for several years.
By 1847, however, Pedro II had carefully removed members of the Courtier Faction from key positions.
Aureliano Coutinho's influence was destroyed after the Emperor implicitly banned him from participation in political decision making.
The monarch then moved against the Liberals.
From 1844 through 1848, the country saw several successive Liberal cabinets, all plagued by internal divisions.
Pedro II called upon the Party of Order to form a new cabinet in September 1848.

The rise of the saquaremas ensured a purge of Liberals who had been appointed to executive and judicial posts at the national, provincial and local levels, as was normal when a new party was tapped to form a government.
The most radical Liberal faction in the province of Pernambuco, known as the Partido da Praia (Party of the Beach), made open preparations to revolt and retake power by force.
The rebellion was limited in extent and was crushed by February 1849.
Honório Hermeto was appointed president of the province, from 2 July 1849 until 8 May 1850, with the purpose of pacification by restraining acts of revenge and throwing his support behind fair trials for all rebels.
He had observed the effect that ostracism, by both Pedro II and other saquarema party leaders, had had on the career of Vasconcelos.
Honório Hermeto accepted the office, eager "to regain the favor of his Emperor and to strengthen his position among his party colleagues."

He was disheartened with what he saw in Pernambuco, a province far away from the imperial capital, but one of the most important in the country.
Local political bosses were aligned with the Party of Order or the Liberal Party, but these were mostly nominal affiliations.
Local oligarchs had vied among themselves for centuries over power.
To them, political principles, such as those preached by the national leaders of the Party of Order, meant little or nothing.
Their political ambitions focused on patronage and the annihilation of their local rivals.
Honório Hermeto found himself embroiled in an ongoing power struggle between the aristocratic planters, who sought to exercise control over provincial affairs.
The Courtier-Liberal alliance held near absolute sway over Brazilian politics for several years. By 1847, however, Pedro II had carefully removed members of the Courtier Faction from key positions. Aureliano Coutinho's influence was destroyed after the Emperor implicitly banned him from participation in political decision making. The monarch then moved against the Liberals. From 1844 through 1848, the country saw several successive Liberal cabinets, all plagued by internal divisions. Pedro II called upon the Party of Order to form a new cabinet in September 1848.
The rise of the saquaremas ensured a purge of Liberals who had been appointed to executive and judicial posts at the national, provincial and local levels, as was normal when a new party was tapped to form a government. The most radical Liberal faction in the province of Pernambuco, known as the Partido da Praia (Party of the Beach), made open preparations to revolt and retake power by force. The rebellion was limited in extent and was crushed by February 1849. Honório Hermeto was appointed president of the province, from 2 July 1849 until 8 May 1850, with the purpose of pacification by restraining acts of revenge and throwing his support behind fair trials for all rebels. He had observed the effect that ostracism, by both Pedro II and other saquarema party leaders, had had on the career of Vasconcelos. Honório Hermeto accepted the office, eager "to regain the favor of his Emperor and to strengthen his position among his party colleagues."
He was disheartened with what he saw in Pernambuco, a province far away from the imperial capital, but one of the most important in the country. Local political bosses were aligned with the Party of Order or the Liberal Party, but these were mostly nominal affiliations. Local oligarchs had vied among themselves for centuries over power. To them, political principles, such as those preached by the national leaders of the Party of Order, meant little or nothing. Their political ambitions focused on patronage and the annihilation of their local rivals. Honório Hermeto found himself embroiled in an ongoing power struggle between the aristocratic planters, who sought to exercise control over provincial affairs.
Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná