University of Groningen
Patriotten in Groningen 1780-1795
van der Meer, J.K.H.
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1996
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van der Meer, J. K. H. (1996). Patriotten in Groningen 1780-1795 [S.l.]: [S.n.]
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Patriotsin Groninsen1780-1795:
a summarv
ol
Id
di
dr
th
D u r i n g t h e O r a n g e ' r e v o l u t i o n ' o t1 1 4 1- 1 7 4 9G r o n i n g e ns t a n d so u t b e c a u s eo f t h e
violenceof the disturbances
and becauseof the relativelyetïicientway the uprising
i s c a n a l i z e dT. h e P a t r i o t ' r e v o l u t i o n ' o fl 7 8 l - 1 1 8 1 s e e m st o c a r u s h
e a r d l ya n y
' r e v o l u t i o n a rsyk i l l ' .
c o m m o t i o ni n G r o n i n g e nI.t s u g g e s tsst a g n a t i o ne ,v e nd e c a yo, f
'fherefore
this study startswith a comparisonbetweenthesetwo rebelliousmovel n e n t sT. h ed i s t u r b a n c essh o u l cbl es e e na g a i n stth eb a c k g r o u nodf t h e e v e ri n c r e a s i n g
clevelopmenttowards oligarchy in the Republic of the United Netherlands.The
i r r i t a t i o nc a u s e db y t h i s p o l i t i c a le x c l u s i v i s me r u p t s b, o t hi n 1 7 4 1a n r Ji n 1 7 8 1 ,d u e
t o t h ed i s a s t r o ucso u r s eo f a w a r w h i c ht h eR e p u b l i ch a sg o t i n v o l v e di n . I n 1 7 4 7t h e
'people'call for the stadtholderto savethe threatened
Republic,to breakthe power
(regenten)
governors
and to restorethe rights of the citizens.In the
of the hated
' P a t r i o t s 'd, i s a p p o i n t eidn W i l l i a m o f O r a n g e w
, a n t t o b r e a kt h e p o w e r
e i g h t i e st h e
'people'
g
i
v
e
o
l
i
g
a
r
c
h
s
and to
the
backtheir
o f t h e s t a d t h o l d ear s w e l l a s o f t h e
p o l i t i c a li n f l u e n c e .
uÍ
th
m
at
((
al
N
tr
tf
m
T]
T
AI
P
n
1 ' h ep r e s sp l a y sa n i m p o r t a npt a l t i n s t i m u l a t i n tgh ec o m m o t i o nh 1 1 4 7. A n i n d i g n a n t
city governmenteven fèlt cornpelledto suppressthe most criticiil newspaper,the
Íor severalmonths. The tone of the parlphlets is rather
Groninger NouveLList,
primitive and they cannot be considereda seriouscontribution to the political
discussion.On theotherhandïheNouvellisf,whenit is publishedagain,continuously
makessuggestionsfbr improving the government,particularlyÍor a betterway of
l e v y i n gt a x e s .L i k e e l s e w h e r ei n t h e R e p u b l i c t, h e c a m p a i g n e risn G r o n i n g e na r e
. h e s e r g e a n tosf t h e c i t i z e nm i l i t i a s o o n
m a i n l ym e m b e r so f t h e l o w e rm i d d l ec l a s s T
' p e o p l eo' b v i o u s l yp u tt h e i rt r u s t
b e c o m et h el e a d e r os f t h er e b e l l i o u rsn o v e m e nTt .h e
in them and let them organizethe petitions which are to be presentedto the
and councillors.Thesepetitionsare enurnerations
burgomasters
of desiredrefbrms
' c o n s t i t u t i o nT
' .h e h i g h e r - r a n k i n g
r a t h e rt h a nw e l l - c o n s i d e r epdr o p o s a ltso a l t e rt h e
join
oÍïicersof the militia, who are too stronglyconnectedwith the establishment,
The sarnecan be saidaboutthe taalmanttenen gezworenen
the petitionshesitatingly.
( ' s p o k e s m e an n d s w o r nr e p r e s e n t a t i v e sT' )h.i s a s s e m b l yi s a n e l e c t o r acl o l l e g et h a t
of the
new councillors;the membersregardthemselves
asrepresentatives
designates
en gezworenenaïlast try to pleadtheir
citizensof Groningen.When Íhetctalmannen
'democratic'rights with the stadtholc'ler,
they are brusquelycensured:the prince is
clnly interestedin consolidatinghis cl'"vnposition.The hateful malpracticesclf the
376
C
T
a
F
a
II
of the
)ri sing
ly any
skill'.
moveeasing
s. The
il, due
t4J the
power
In the
power
k their
lignant
,er,the
rather
rlitical
uously
way of
ien are
a soon
ir trust
to the
oforms
anking
rt,loin
orenen
ge that
; of the
Ldtheir
inceis
of the
oligarchysooncorneback,this time undertheprotectionof the houseof Orange.
T h e r n o u n t i n gi i v e r s i o nt o t h e s t a d t h o l d e r l-yu o v e r n m e nn at t u r a l l yd i r e c t si t s e l f
a t W i l l i a m o f O r a n g ea n d h i s ' l i e u t e n a n ti 'n G r o n i n g e nA
. . A . v a n I d d e k i n g eV
. an
Iddekingeis - not without reason- accusedof nepotismand an authoritarianway of
directingthe city. Among the middleclassthereis a growing numberof peoplewho
do not supporW
t i l t i a m V a n y m o r ew
: h e nt h e Í n o m e nct o m e s t, h e yw i l l b e f o u n do n
the side of the opposition.The shamefïl courseof the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
createssucha situation.The oppositioncan now poseas the true 'Patriots'andthus
underminethe legitirlacyof thepoliticalestablishment.
This time the pamphletsstart
t h e p o l i t i c a ld i s c u s s i o nA. d o w n r i g h ts a t i r i c apl o e m ,t h e G r o n i n g e rR a r e k i e k , b e c o mesa polemicpamphletto deÍ'endthe Patriotcause.Most of the pamphlets.however,
are of a serenecharacter.Their authorsplead for a 'ConstitutionalRestoration'
(GrondwettigeHerstellittg)and borrow their argumentsfiom an idealisedpast:old
agreementsshould be renewedand the 'constitution'restoredto its original state.
Natural right does not play an important part in the exchangesof ideas.With
increasingenthusiasmÍhe GroningerCourant informs its readersabout the rise of
the Patriotmovement.The threatof a war with Austria bringsaboutthe implementation of an old plan: the armingof the civilians.While the civil militia (burgerregiment) is being modernised,the Patriotsset up a private Free Corps 'Voor Onze
D u u r s t eP a n d e n ' ( ' F o rO u r D e a r e sP
t l e d g e s ' )s, o t h e y h a v et h e i ro w n o r g a n i z a t i o n .
Their meeting place then becomesthe centreÍl'om which political action can be
attempted.
The first directorsof the Free Corps are a reflectionof the supportersof the
Patriot party: Johan Herman Geertsemaas the representativeof the fiustrated
patricianÍamilies rvhoareexcludedfiom office by the Van Iddekinge'clan'; Tonco
Moddermanen Paulinusvan Oldenneelas membersof the Mennoniteand RomanCatholic communitieswhich strive fbr emancipation;the fieemasonsScatoTrip,
TammoAdriaanten BergeandagainToncoModdermanon behalfof the enlightened
.
a n d ' w e l l - t h i n k i n g ' c i t i z e nTs h
es o c i a a
l n dc u l t u r a sl o c i e t i easr ei m p o r t a nst u p p l i e r s
of membersÍbr the Patriotparty in Groningen.Discontenthaspenetratedthe upper
middleclass.This tirnethe taalmanneneil gea.v/oreilen
are an advancedbasein the
town hall Íbr the Patriots.The citizenmilitia increasingly
with thePatriot
co-operates
FreeCorps (vrijcorps).A well-organizedpetitionmovementsupportsthe peaceful
'attackon the town
hall' and finally the Patriotscome into power. So one has to
c o n c l u d et h a t t h e ' r e v o l u t i o n a r ys k i l l ' , b e t w e e n1 7 5 0a n d 1 7 8 0 ,u n l i k e w h a t f i r s t
impressions
seemedto suggesthasgainedmore strengthin Groningen.
A k i n d o f a s o c i a lm a p o f G r o n i n g e nc a n b e d l a w n b y c o n s u l t i n ga s p e c i a sl o u r c e :
theregistersof the city cleansingand lighting laxes(clrekgelden lanÍarengeldregister.r).Thesetaxesare irnposedin the sameway as present-day
real estatetax, rvhich
meansthat taxationdependson the estirnatedvalue of the premiseseach family
inhabits.Thus we are enabledto find out in which streetsthe rich and the poor had
their dwellings.This inÍbrmationalso createsthe possibilityto check what is said
aboutthe socialpositionof the Patriotsin Groningen.In the archiveswe find a list
311
of membersof one of the divisionsof the PatriotFreeCorps which also namesthe
.streetswhere the Free-Corpsistslivecl,and so aÍfords a sarnpleof the Patriots'
position.This confirmsthat a largepart of the GroningenPatriots
socio-ecclnomic
belong to the upper middle class:they pay far rnorethan the averagesum of dreftthereis anothersourcethat n.raybe
en lantarengeld.Concerningtheir proÍ'essions,
consulted:a satire.writtenaÍÏerthe collapseof the Patriotparty in September1787.
In this libel one can find the names of dozens of Patriots, mostly with their
proÍèssionsor functions.It is obviousthat many Patriotsarefound in artisancircles
a n d i n a l l r a n k s o f t h e c i t y ' s o f f i c i a l d o m .A Í t e r t h e s t u d y o f t l r e P a t r i o t s 's o c i a l
p o s i t i o ns, o m ep r o m i n e nG
t roningen
f a n r i l i e sa r ep o r t r a y e dV: a nl d d e k i n g eS, i c c a m a
and Modderman.Mernbersof the Siccamafarnilyas well asToncoand JanModderman arestaunchPatriots.The VanIddekingefamily seemsquiteisolatedsociallyand
. he
c u l t u r a l l y ,w h e r e a st l r e c l t h e lt w o f a m i l i e ss l r o w a w i d e r a n g eo f a c t i v i t i e s T
M o d d e r r n a nf a m i l y , b e l o n g i n gt o t h e M e n n o n i t ed e n o m i n a t i o ni ,s n o t a l l o w e dt o
p a r t i c i p a tien p o l i t i c s u
, n l i k et h ep a t r i c i a nf a m i l yo f t h eS i c c a m a sL.i k e t h e i rp o l i t i c a l
r i v a l so f t h e V a n I d d e k i n g e ' c l a n ' t, h e S i c c a m af a m i l y h a sc r e a t e cal l a r g en e t w o r k
s l a c et h e i rn e t w o r k si n p o s i t i o nw h e n t h e r ei s a v o t e i n
o f r e l a t i o n sB. o t h t z r m i l i e p
- to put it brieÍly - whetheror not to supportthe
question
the town hall on the
(
l
7
t
h
M
a
r
c
h
,
1
7
8
6
) .T h e S i c c a m a ' c l a n 'a, n d t h e r e b yt h e P a t r i o t sb, e a t
stadtholder
Van
Iddekinges
by
a
small
majority.
the
Generallyspeaking,the religiousminoritiesapplaudthe Patriotideasaboutequality
and the Mennonitesin particular
and freedom.In Groningen,the Roman-Catholics
h e i rg r o w i n gs e l f - c o n f i d e n c e
t r y t o i m p r o v et h e i rp o s i t i o n sT. h e f o r m e rd e m o n s t r a t e
andcouncillors.As a resultof their
by presentingsomepetitionsto the burgornasters
actionsthey - and at the same time the rnembersof all Christinnreligions - are
admittedto the ranks of corporaland sergeantin the citizen militia. The clergy in
G r o n i n g e nd o n o t e n g a g ei n p o l i t i c s ,s o a l l a c t i o n i s a m a t t e ro f l a y m e n .T h e
Roman-Catholics'contributiorito the Free Corps is a relatively small number of
remarkablyfaithÍïl members.On the otherhand,the pacifistMennonitesare surpriin this societyfor rnilitarytraining.However,a distinction
singly over-representecl
'sympathizers'c o m m u n i c a nmt e m b e r sa n c l
born
s h o u l db e d r a w nn o t o n l y b e t w e e n
of Mennonite parents but not (yet) admitted as full membersby baptism and
The communicant
confession- , but also betweentwo Mennonitedenominations.
nrembersconfinetheir supportfor the Patriotsto non-militaryactionslike signinga
petitionor contributingto the 'PatriotFund' (VaderlandsFontls):only two of them
'syrnpathizers'.Those
actually carry arms. Most of the militant Mennonitesare
Mennoniteswho havea reputationfor being strictin mattersof religion are notably
m o r ea c t i v ei n t h eP a t r i o tm o v e m e ntth a nt h e i rb r e t h r e nw h o h o l d m o c J e r arte l i g i o u s
opinions.A thirdMennonitecommunityis barelymentioned,dueto a lackof sources.
The numberof Lutheransin the FreeCorpsis smallandthey do not attainprominent
positionsin the Patriot Ínovement.Many rnembersof this denominationbelong to
the poor: not a categorywherethe Patriotshave much support.In the caseof the,
378
Íairly recent,Jewishcommunityin the city a remarkablefact appears:the Patriots,
f i g h t e r sa g a i n set x c l u s i v i s ma, p p e atro b e e x c l u s i v et h e m s e l v e so:n l y a v o w e dC h r i s tiansareadnrittedto the lrreeCorps.The Jewstakeno part in the politicaldiscussion
until 1795,when tltefirst attemptsarealsonradeto creaternoredemclcratic
relations
i n t h e J e w i s hc o n r r n u n i t o
yf Groningen.
T h e D u t c hR e f b r m e dC h u r c hh a sa p r i v i l e g e dp o s i t i o ni n t h eo t f i c i a l l yC a l v i n i s t
R e p u b l i co f t h e U n i t e dN e t h e r l a n d sa,n ds o w i l l n o t b e n e f i ti f t h i n g sa r ep r o t i r u n d l y
changed.Neverthelessthe Patriotsgain impressivesupportamons eldersand deaconsof the Dutch RefbrrnedChurchand its Frenchsister-church,
the Egllse Wullonne. In the Eglise Wallonneas a whole there is much sympathy Íbr the Patriot
moveÍnent,rnostlyamonsits nrernbers
of Dutchextraction.They belongto the upper
r n i d d l ec l a s s ,w h i c h i s c l o s e l yc o n n e c t e w
d i t h t h e c u l t u r a ls o c i e t i e a
s n dt h e c o l l e g e
of taalmannenen gez.worenen.ltis
exactlyin thesecirclesthatthe Patriotshavetheir
m o s t i m p o r t a n ts u p p o r t .I n t h e D u t c h R e f o r m e dc h u r c hc o u n c i l t h e d e a c o n sa r e
significantly more in favour of the Patriot party than the elders.The continuous
d e v e l o p m e nt o
t w a r d so l i g a r c h yd r a w sa c l e a rd i v i d i n gl i n eb e t w e e nt h e ' a r i s t o c r a t i c '
elders and the deacons.The latter, increasinglyrecruitedfiom the middle class,
plansfbr politicalrefornr.
embracethe Patriots''demclcratic'
At the awakeningof the PatriotrnoveÍnentin Croningen,the caseof ProtessorF.A.
van der Marck becomestopical again. In 1773 he had been dismissedfionr the
universityon a chargeofheterodoxy.In the Patriotperiodthe atïairstill evokessome
passion;yet in its own time it had hardly aÍ1'ected
the matriculationof new students
at Groningenuniversity.The steadydecline in studentnumbersis due to Í'actors
o p e r a t i n gn o tj u s t a t G r o n i n g e nb u t a t a l l u n i v e r s i t i eisn t h e R e p u b l i cI.n G r o n i n g e n
the studentsare more concernedaboutkeepingtheir universityup to the mark than
the professorsand governors(curatoren)are.The protectionof acadenricprivileges
'Ihe
is even the subject of a short but flerce petition movement.
petitions are
especiallydirectedat the proÍèssors.ProÍèssorPaulusChevallier,too, voices his
c o n c e r na b o u t t h e s i t u a t i o nt h e u n i v e r s i t yi s i n . A t t h e s a m et i n e h e n t e e t sw i t h
increasingunderstandingamong his colleaguesÍbr the enlightenedviews he has
voicedin his reotoraladdress.At this stage,the proÍ'essors
seemto be touchedmore
by the spirit of the agethanthey wereten yearsbeÍbre.Thereis no Iackof syrnpathy
Íbr the Patriot movement among the university teachers,although it is mainly
rnaniÍêstedin a moderateway. ProÍèssorChevallieruttershis true PatriotÍèelings
chietlyin the lettersto one of his sons.In the matterof military trainingthe students
areat first more eager,but soonthey confinethemselves,
like therrteachers,to less
s t r e n u o uasc t i v i t i e s .
t
)
1787shouldhavebeenthe harvestyearfilr the Patriotparty.However,thecommission that is to definepreciselythe rightsof the pezu.,orenett
ts efÍèctivelysabotaged
by
'old
thêsupporters
of the
order'.An ambitiousplanfor a well-trainedpeople'sarrny,
m a d eb y a n o t h e cr o r n m i s s i o ni s, p u t o u t o f c o u r ti n a Í l o o d o f p a m p h l e t sP. r e p a r i n g
a projectto call up the peopleto give their opinions about the restorationof the
319
'constitution'(Plan
van Oproeping),a third commissionmakesremarkablydemocratic proposalsaboutthe voting rights of the Groningencitizens.But the commissicln's report is ofÍ-eredto the burgomastersand councillors after the Prussian
invasion:so the proposalshave no chanceof success.With help fiom abroadthe
Orangeparty is victorious.The Patriot Free Corps is disbanded,all 'democratic'
resolutionsmadein the shortperiodof Patriothegemonyaresetaside.A violentriot
at the central square(Grote Markt) of Croningen, in which the Patriot club is
involved,meansthe end of this society.The club's managerand his brotherbecome
t h e v i c t i m s oaf v i n d i c t i v e p r o s e c u tIi no n
l T. 8 S R e v . D e B l a u , a c l e r g y m a n w h o h a d
c r i t i c i z e dt h e o l d p o l i t i c a ls y s t e mi n 1 7 8 3 ,i s a c c u s e do f d i s r e s p e ct o
t w a r d st h e c i t y
governmentand disrnissed.The public prosecutordraws up long lists of 'political
delinquents'.The Patriotsaregraduallyremovedfiom the seatsof power,sirnplyby
not being re-elected.Some peoplet-eelcompelledto Ílee. Severaltirnes,Professor
C h e v a l l i eirs t h e v i c t i m o f u n p l e a s a nmt e a s u r ebsy t h ec i t y a n du n i v e r s i t yg o v e r n o r s .
None the less,in Groningenthe Orangereactionis rathermoderatecomparedto, for
instance,the neighbouringprovince of Friesland.At the same time the Patriot
resistance
seemsto be nrorepersistentthanelsewherein the Republic.Besides,after
their political detèat.we seethe Patriotsdirect their attentionto othel causes.They
rally roundthe snall but dynamicpersonof the pastorof theEgliseWallonne,Henrt
Daniël Guyot, and take a considerablesharein the foundationof the first institute
for deaf-mutesin the Netherlands.In the sameway they supportthe realizationof
'Departnlent
the
tbr the City and Provinceof Groningenof the Societyfor Public
WelÍare' (DeparÍententStad ert Lattde van de Maatschappij: Tbt Nut y,an 't Algem e e n \ .S e v e r aP
l a t r i o t sp a r t i c i p a t ien t h e ' E n g l i s hR e a d i n gS o c i e t y ' .e s t a b l i s h eidn
the sameperiod.Nevertheless
this club is by nclmeansone of thosereadingsocieties
which suddenlyaboundas Patriot under-coverorganizationsin that period. Meanwhile,tieedonrseemsto approachÍiom revolutionaryFrance.The advanceof the
Frenchtroopssetsthe revolutionin motion in Groningenas well. The PatriotFree
s ,u c em o r ei n c o n j u n c t i o nw i t h t h e c i t i z e nm i l i t i a .
C o r p si s l e v i v e da n dg u a r a n t e e o
an orderlycourseofthe events.Burgomasters
andcouncillorsareaskedto retireand
to oÍt'ertheir seatsto personssupportedby the will of the people.The treeof liberty
is erected,the FrenchenterGroningen.Rev.De Blau is rehabilitated,
ProfèssorVan
d e r M a r c k i s a s k e dt o r e s u m eh i s l e c t u r e sa t G r o n i n s e nu n i v e r s i t y a: n e w a g e h a s
come.
380