“Jan. 28. 1791, The case of the city of London against the corporation of Lynn, came on to be argued in the court of king’s bench. It was a writ of error from the court of common pleas where a trial at bar was had on a _de essendo quietum de theolonio_ (of being quit of toll) brought by the city of London, to assert the right of their citizens being exempted from a toll on corn, demanded by the corporation of Lynn. A verdict had been given for the city, and the errors were assigned on the informality of the declaration. After much argument by serjeant Le Blanc, for Lynn, and sergeant Adair, for London, the court reversed the judgment, on the ground that the declaration did not state that the city of London had received such an injury on which an action could be maintained, the corporation of Lynn having demanded, but not having received, or distrained for the tolls in question.” {972} Though our corporation, by this last decision, seem to have been relieved from the payment of the heavy damages that would have resulted from the first verdict, yet the whole affair must have been attended with no light expence, which certain plans of economy subsequently adopted, and other attendant appearances pretty clearly evinced. How much wiser had it been to grant those two gentlemen their freedom at once, to which they were so clearly entitled by the great benefit which the town derived from their extensive mercantile exertions. Indeed the refusal of it was a piece of flagrant injustice, as persons who contributed so much as they did to the increase of our trade ought to have received in the town every possible encouragement. The treatment they met with here, proves the defectiveness of our corporation laws and borough charters, and how ill adapted they are to the present state of society in this country. Sheffield, Manchester, and Birmingham, where things are on a different footing, sufficiently evince the inutility and folly of our borough laws and establishments, and that they are, in fact, grievances and nuisances rather than national benefits. Their abolition seems therefore an object or event to be wished rather than deprecated.