At the announcement of the February Revolution he resigned his post and settled in Bastia, where he entered the political arena. Much influenced by his book "Histoire des Girondins", Borghetti was a great admirer of Lamartine. In the first elections held under universal (male) suffrage on 13 and 14 May 1849 he was elected "Conseiller Général" of his home Canton of Pero-Casevecchie. Not one who was easily willing to compromise his ideals, he quickly became disappointed to see political intrigue and clientelism prevail over the general interest, and allowed himself to be replaced as "Conseiller Général" by one of his friends, justice of the peace Octavian Renucci, who kept the post until the end of the Second Empire. After the coup d'état of 2 December 1851, he abandoned public life. From 1849 to 1870, Borghetti remained in opposition to the regime. Unlike many others in his position he was not sent into exile, but he was frequently the subject of administrative harassment.