Papers of John Adams, volume 15
e.Août 1783
L’Assemblée d’Hollande, fort orageuse mercr[edi j]our de votre depart d’ici, [s’es]t separée jusqu’au 27 court. Il y a eu un tumulte à Arnhem en Gueldre, où la Garnison, qui S’étoit emparée de la maison de Ville, a du se soumettre, & délivrer l’hôtel à la Bourgeoisie, qui, sur son exemple, avoit chargé à balles. Le tout s’est passé Sans effusion de sang, mais à l’avantage de la Bourgeoisie, qui s’est conduite avec une sagesse admirable.1 Nous embrassons Mr. votre fils, & vous assurons de nos respects, / De V. E. Le très-humble / & très obeissant servit
Translation
The assembly of Holland, very stormy on Wednesday, the day you left here, adjourned until the 27th of this month. There was an uproar at Arnhem in Gelderland, where the garrison, which had taken possession of the city hall, had to surrender and give the building over to the citizenry, who, following their example, had loaded their weapons. The entire affair happened without bloodshed but to the advantage of the citizenry, who acted with admirable wisdom.1 We send our affectionate greetings to your esteemed son and our respects to your excellency from your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Paris à S. E. Mr. Adams”; endorsed: “[Mr Du]mas. 12. Aug. / [178]3.” Some loss of text due to a torn manuscript and removal of the seal.
On 3 Aug. the magistrates of Arnhem called out a detachment from the garrison to defend the city hall after a crowd gathered to protest the closing of the old cemetery within the walls to paupers and others who could not pay for interment. When the citizenry opposed the soldiers with arms, however, the latter saluted and retired. That evening the soldiers buried the wife of one of their sergeants in the new cemetery outside the walls for lack of funds to lay her in the old one as she had wished. The next day the citizenry exhumed the body and reinterred it in St. Janskerk (now Koepelkerk) and then proceeded to demolish the new cemetery. On 9 Aug. the continued resistance of the citizenry persuaded the magistrates to concede and reopen the old cemetery to all (Gazette d’Amsterdam, 19 Aug.).