Both as journalist and political activist 't Hoen became involved in the democratization process of the Utrecht city and provincial government in 1784-1785, which led to the first democratically-elected city government in the Dutch Republic in August 1786. The adherents of the stadtholder, the Orangists formed a rival States of Utrecht in December 1785 that moved to Amersfoort under the protection of a garrison of Dutch States Army troops that repeatedly threatened Utrecht. On 9 May 1787 't Hoen, with his company of "schutters" took part in the Battle of Jutphaas to repel one of those threatening moves. This success was, however, soon followed by the Prussian invasion of Holland, during which Utrecht was given up to the Prussians without a fight. 't Hoen followed the Patriot troops in their retreat to Amsterdam in September 1787. After the fall of Amsterdam on 10 October, 't Hoen fled like many other Patriots to first Brussels, and later northern France with his family. In 1789 he was sentenced "in absentia" to 25 years banishment.