Paraná succeeded in passing electoral reform, which was called the "Lei dos Círculos" (Law of the Circles). As predicted, and feared, it gave greater powers to the president (prime minister) of the Council of Ministers to meddle in elections. Unexpectedly, Paraná fell ill and died on 3 September 1856. Caxias replaced him, but was reluctant to face the legislature, elected under the electoral reform, that was slated to convene the next year. He resigned, along with the other cabinet ministers, on 4 May 1857. The Law of the Circles and the controversy surrounding it split the Conservative Party: one faction was the "saquarema" ultraconservative (or traditionalist) wing, then called the "vermelhos" (reds) or "puritanos" (puritans), led by Eusébio de Queirós, Uruguai and Joaquim Rodrigues Torres, Viscount of Itaboraí. The second bloc comprised the "conservador moderado" (moderate Conservative) wing, composed mostly of younger politicians who owed their positions to electoral reform.