Aside from members of the Imperial family, he was the first to ever hold this position alone; the other was his appointed successor after his resignation, the Marquis of Olinda.

On 25 April, he made an eloquent speech in defense of Brazilian rights, which were threatened by the Portuguese majority in the assembly.

On the day before his election as regent, he had been appointed bishop of Mariana, but declined the offer for political reasons.

[2] As regent, he pushed for liberal and progressive reforms, but his policies were met with such fierce opposition from the conservatives that, on 18 September 1837, he resigned his office, retired to São Paulo and did not appear in the Senate again until 1838.

In the same year the Liberal Revolts broke out near Campinas, where Feijó was living, and, although enfeebled by his age and sickness, he took upon himself the responsibility of the movement, and, after being defeated, was arrested, taken to Santos, and thence to Rio de Janeiro, to be tried by the Senate.