that the right to the elective franchise in this place, according to its true constitution, and according to the custumal then produced, is as follows :- In 1736, a writ of mandamus was brought by Henry Moore, to require the mayor, jurats, and commonalty, of the town and port of Hastings, to admit him into the place and office of one of the freemen of that town ; and the writ sets forth, that he is the eldest son of a freeman, born within the town, after the admission and swearing of his father into the place and office of one of the freemen of the said town and port ; and that he has a right, in respect thereof, and also upon paying a reasonable fine, to be admitted into the place and office of one of the freemen of the said town and port. The above was the matter at issue for the jury, who gave a verdict for the plaintiff, Mr. Moore.
"We should here observe, that Moore was completely successful upon this occasion. It is true, that he claimed his freedom merely as an eldest son ; but the same evidence by which he availed himself went the full length of establishing the right of every other son of a freeman to his freedom. The verdict given by the jury upon this occasion, came under the review of the court of King's Bench, as appears from Strange's Reports, 1070, which, after solemn argument, was confirmed by the unanimous determination and sanction of the judges.
"We wish, in a very particular manner, to draw the attention of the reader to this very important trial, as it not only clearly and satisfactorily demonstrates what was originally, and what ought still to be, the constitution of Hastings, but throws great light upon the true constitution of the rest of the cinque-ports, notwithstanding the usurpations and corruptions which, in these latter days, prevail, more or less in all of them.
"The Directory of the principal inhabitants is as follows :-
Corporation.
Jurats.
Coppard Rev. William Hicks
Milward Edwd., Sen., Esq.
Crouch John
Milward Edward, Jun., Esq.
Crouch Lovell
Polhill William
Crouch Thomas
Shorter Goldsworthy John
·Crouch Walter
·Stevens John
·Evitt Thomas (Deputy Controller of the Customs)
Thatcher John
Freemen.
Ball Richard
†Murray Hon. Sir James
·Ball Robert
Sargent Henry
Bossom Benjamin
Sargent John
Coppard Rev. William Hicks
Scrivens William
Crouch, Nathaniel
Stevens Charles Crouch
Diplock Jos.
Taught Stephen
Edward Joseph
Thatcher John
