In 1885, invited by Francisco de Paula Ney, he travelled to Ceará, where he was very well received. He was also well received when returned to Campos dos Goytacazes, where he took his mother to Rio de Janeiro, for her burial. Famous personalities, such as Ruy Barbosa, Rodolfo Epifânio de Sousa Dantas, Campos Sales and Prudente de Morais, attended the burial. Patrocínio had been a staunch republican for years, but in 1888 he abruptly converted into a supporter of the Brazilian monarchy out of gratitude towards Princess Isabel when she decided to defy the slave-owning aristocracy and declared the abolition of slavery on May 13. When he heard the news that slavery had suddenly been revoked in the country, his immediate reaction was to break into the Imperial Senate floor running and throw himself in tears before the Princess' desk and kiss her hands. In the following months he dissociated himself from his republican club and founded the Black Guard to protect the monarchy against the rebellious aristocracy and military. In late 1889, however, with the Brazilian Proclamation of the Republic, the Black Guard was dissolved. Patrocínio became a supporter of the Navy Revolt (Revolta da Armada) of 1893 against the newly founded Republic. As a result of his participation in the revolt he was briefly exiled in Cucuí, in Amazonas.