Upon receiving objections from the cabinet, the General Assembly and the Council of State, Pedro II pronounced: "If they can prevent me from going as an Emperor, they cannot prevent me from abdicating and going as a Fatherland Volunteer"—an allusion to those Brazilians who volunteered to go to war and became known throughout the nation as the "Fatherland Volunteers".
Tras recibir as obxeccións do gabinete de goberno, da Asemblea Xeral e do Consello de Estado, Pedro II pronunciouse: "Se poden impedirme que vaia como emperador, non poden impedir que abdique e vaia como Voluntario da Patria" —unha alusión ós brasileiros que se presentaron voluntarios para a guerra e pasaron a seren coñecidos en toda a nación como os "Voluntarios da Patria".