The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Feijo, Diogo Antonio

FEIJO, or FEIJOO, Diogo Antonio, dē-o'go än-to'ṅē-ō fā zho', Brazilian statesman: b. São Paulo, Brazil, 1784; d. 1843. As a priest he did pastoral work for many years, and in 1822 was elected to the Cortes at Lisbon, Portugal. When Brazilian independence was won he returned to America; in 1826 was chosen by the Liberal party as their deputy and representative, and introduced measures for municipal reform and the abolition of clerical celibacy. He served as Minister of Justice 1831-32; was regent 1835-37, but in 1837 he retired from politics, before the storm of Conservative opposition which his liberal policy had called up and was later sent into exile.