The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-05 00:00:00

THE METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL AND

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM ASSOCIATION.

The following address to the people of London
has been issued by the council of the above asso-
ciation :

Unrivalled in population, wealth, and intelli tenet —its in-
dividual sympathies always enlisted on the aide of progress—
London, the first to suffer from the ovils of misgovernment,
has usually, and with a few brilliant exceptions, been the last
to unite for their extinction. To remove this r.'proach—to
collect ejul combine the scattered and slumbering elements
of political pewee which abound in the metropolis, in aid of
the gathering force of public opinion in the provinces—to
create, for the achievement of financial and parliamentary
storm, a legal, powerful, and comprehensive organisation—
constitute the end and aim of this association. Strictly con-
stitutional in its objects, the agencies employed will be such
only as are recognised and permitted by the law. Its first
efforts will be directed to strengthen the hands of the people's
party in the Howe of Commons, and array public opinion in
.id of the removal of obstschs which stand at the very thres-
hold of progress. Its practical character will be found
'in the assistance it will be enabled to afford to
the existing machinery, established for watching over and
conducting the regiotration of liberal voters resident in the
metropolitan counties, cities, and boroughs, combined with
the adoption of an efficient plan by which its members may
become freeholders and voters. Although deeply impressed
with the conviction that no great change tending to lessen or
destroy the exclusive immunities enjoyed by the privileged
'lames will to permitted, until the portals of the constitu-
tion are eutfici.ntly widened to admit that large portion of
our fellow-subjects who are not more unwisely than unjustly
excluded ; yet, feeling that the burdens under which the
' industry of the country is daily groaning, and the mis-
' chievous effects produced upon all classes by the present
unequal and visciously contrived system of taxation,
are evils which require prompt attention and imme-
diate remedy, the agitation in favour of financial re-
form will receive at the hands of the association
its willing and vigorous co-operation. While, however, cor-
dielly uniting our exertions with those of our fellow-reformers
for the attainment of financial ameliorations, the great ques-
tion of pailiamentary reform will not be suffered to remain
in abeyance. The wisdom of timely c needing modifications
In the political system, to meet the altered circumstances
by the incressing. number, wealth, and intelligence of the
people, has been singularly instanced by the fact that while
Europe has been convulsed with the throes of rem)-
, lotion, the storm which has swept away dynasties and govern-
ments, ruined commerce, and destroyed credit, has passed
over this country, leaving its instiutions, its property, and its
great interests, comparatively unscathed. It cannot be
doubted that the enlightened policy which conceded the two
great measures, the Reform Act and free trade, has reaped
its rich fruits in the general tranquillity of the country, the
stability of its credit, and the extent of its resources. The
necetaity of adopting a similar policy at this moment will be
urged upon the legislature with continuous earnestness.
Such a measure of parliamentary reform will be asked for as
will fairly entitle the people to look for its fruits in a large
extension of the franchise and the comploe independence of
its exercise—the means of education placed within the reach
of all—the extinction of monopolies, unlimited freedom of
commerce, and the total abolition of exclusive privileges—an
untaxed and unfettered pre's—the removal of all undue
influences from the House of Commons—public appoint,.
ments thrown open to talent, integrity, and fitness,
instead ef, as now, the price which the government of
the day pays for active support or hostility forborne—and
the reformation of all those abuses in our political and social
system which have been too long upheld. The machinery
which the emaciation will put in motion will be of the sim-
plest character ; a president and a council selected from the
members will constitute the governing body. The efficiency
end power of the association can alone be found in the num-
ber and the earnestness of its members. The nucleus of a
powerful political organisation is now formed ; it remains
with the reformers of the metropolis to vindicate themselves
from the chars" of indifference to the great interests which
are involved in the ascendancy of cheap and responsible go-
vernment, by giving to the people's cause the inestimable
advantages which result frem the combined power of union
and numbers. _ .

By order of the Council,
J0911t7.11 WAI.MSLET, President.

All persons who shall annually subscribe le. or upwards
wGI rec.eive cards of membership, entitling them to be present
at all meetings of the association; and the council will he
composed of such members se shall subscribe ten pounds or
more yearly, and such other members as shall be elected by
the council for the time being.

WRECK OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP.--NEARLY

TWO HUNDRED LIVES LOST.
We have to record the total loss of a large emigrant
ship on the Long-surds, on the Essex coast, with nearly two
hundred souls on board. It took place during the tem-
peetuotts weather on Wednesday last. The'gale commenced
m the early tart of Wednesday morning, the wind blowing
from the S.W. The violence of the storm continued to in-
crease till between 6 and 7 o'clock in the eveuing, cresting
the greatest dismay along the coast. A heavy snow storm
followed and lasted till midnight.
During Thursday news reached Harwich of several vessels
having been wrecked on the Lor4; Auld. The first tidings
communicated the lees of a Dutch Indiamen named the
DP*, Captain Laws, bound from Antwerp to Ilavanne, the
crew of which (with the exception of one poor fellow) bad
been picked up h her Majesty's revenue cutter, Scout,
and Madill at Harwich. A large schooner was never heard
of, having shared a similar fate on the same sands, with the
loss of every soul of her crew. Seven or eight total lows
were also reported es having happened on the adjacent
shoals, and it was hoped Mat these formed the extent of the
disasters. Late on Friday night, however, her Majesty'. reve-
nue cutter, Petered, brought the melancholy intelligence of
the loss of an emigrant ship oa the saps sands.
The ill fend vessel was the barque Floridian, 500 tons
burden, Capt. R. D. Whitmore, master, from Antwerp. She
was the property of Mr. E. D. Hulbert, of New York, and
had been chartered by a German company for the convey-
ing°, of emigrants to the United States. She was announced
to sail from Antwerp on last Thursday week, but for some
meson she was delayed till the following Sunday, when she
left thatoort, and proceeded down the river. She, however,
did not finally take her departure from the coast until Tues-
day last. The number of emigrants that had taken a
by her at Antwerp, and had come on board be ore her
weighing anchor, is stated to have been from 170 to 200.
They comprised young respectable German agricultural la-
bourers with their wives and families, and many various
grades of mechanics pmongst the number on board
were from 50 to 60 'women, and between 20 and 30
children. The ship was worked by a crew of nearly 20, part
of whom were Englishmen, a surgeon being on board to "";
attend the emigrants. It was late on Tuesday evening when

the Floridian' put out to ea, at which time the weather Isis
ezesedingle the, and the w Lid fair. The ware token .fter
clearing the Flemish books (wee, the surviving seamen) was
westward, for the &tails of Dover. At 12 o'clock the wind
sitifted retr:d to the S.W., blowirg very Lard with a fall of
hail sad snow, and so heavy was the fall that it became fm-
possible to see the length of the vessel. Tbey tacked ship and
bore to the N.W. until 4 o'clock on Wedariday morning,
and then altered her coma. Daybreak brought fear-
ful weather; the wind L.d spruflg up terrifically,
with a great fall of snow and a heavy rolling sea on.
At about three o'clock the chief mete expressed some mis-
giviage as to the coons they were then pursuing, it bealg
heir intention to make for the South Foreland lights; and
calling to the seeolid onizer, requested him to take chugs of
the watch while he went below to look to his directory.
fiearcely had he quitted nil post before the ship struck with
much force that her planks and false keel immediately rushed
up alongside. A scene of confusion instantly presented itself
...the emigrants hastened on deck in frantic dainty.
Within a far monlente of tee alai Striking, the re, broke
late her bull with much impetuosity, blanag up the hateh-
ways end sweeping many of the poor creatures overboard,
while others were drowned in their berths, being unable to
rime from the effect. of sea sickness. Capt. Whitmore
gave orders to his men to launch the boats, which were car-
ried out with the greatest dispatch, but they were ott sly
faefficient for the purpose of saving all on board ; for if, in
fact, they had outlived the fury of the raging surf, they were
not capable of containing even one-third of the emigrants.
Tho first boat broke adrift the moment she was launched,
and it is said capsized directly, with two men who were in
her. The moment the second boat was lowered, the captain
jumped into it with Mrs. Whitmore, his wife. This led to a
&spade risk towards the chit. Some 20 or 30 poor crea-
tures, men and women, leaped from the quarter-deck of the
hindering ship into the boat. The malt was that it also
instantly capsized, and the whole party were precipitated
overboard and instantly lat. There being now no pos-
sible means of escape left far those on board, the
aaw took to the rigging, to which they lashed
themselves, and upwards a 100 of the emigrants congregated
on the corter-deck. H. re they had not been more eau an
hour, before the ship bloke In two amidships. The main-
mast fell over the sire, and a tremendous sea caned sway
the whole of the quarter-deck, with the mese of herein
beings ou it. By great efforts LI or 10 were rescued by the
nien,whohad secured themselves in the rigging, but, ea will
be wen, only to mat with • more horrible death. The mo-
ment the aka broke in two, her tango floated out, and later-
=harm with the eatieren. For Mae time men, women,
and children were seen to be floating about on the pampa
in nigh had set b, however, all had ~wad. The
ea then, abed 12 in number, medin In the dg-
glag of the femme, which, with the forepart of heard,
was all that remised of the wreck, the whole of the night,
enduring the greatest suffering. The sea kept bertha, over
them, and the cold being most intense rendered their condi-
tion the mat*del. When Thursday morning broke,
It was discovered that eh of the poor fellow. had
died, apparently from sold, in the course of the
night nit their bodies were dangling in the *Ogg. AU
that day the same fear d weather continued, end se di
could be rendered thole who still floated in the rigging. They
could see vessels passing at • distance, but that' were too far
off for the crews lechery. their situation. Thursday night
sad the greater portion of Friday pawed away, yet no hap
Only four now remeieed, three adore aid ON per
singer, the other two weee haat to death in the ahem of
the preceding day and Mtn. Abed 7 &doh an the third
evening the Petrel ohm ie the di of the whom. The
grew hinging to her, by tits albs etitmemillag
or, lowered their boat and pushed off to the spot. Tee
heavy nut beating rimed the wreck in seek • manna as h
trader the rutithet of theatre alongside the wreck email-
holy dangerous. After coosiderable difficulty the peer
hilows were got off and taken on board the
cutter, when everything was done be their comfort.
The Petrel arrived at Harwich about 11 o'clock at night.
Mr. Billingeby, L'oyd'e agent, and Via-Card for the Bel-
▪ goverment, afforded the poor fellows every attention
that was pantile by placing them in comfortable quarter&
The names of the seamen saved are Henry Hill, William
Harry, and a Swede, name unknown. The fourth is one of
the emigrant., apparently • meehado. He has been de-
railed ever since he has been landed.
• °debater vessel lost five hands la a laudable attempt
to mat some of the sufferers. The crew saw the quarter-
desk amid away with the emigrant. on it. They
imme-
diately_peehed of in their boat with a view of saving *me
of the tremble oreaturee but had smelly got a f strokes
what a Mimes& aught their craft, upset it, and the whole
of
*e Wawa 111•11 earned.
An fismensa amber of easels alerted en Saturday morn-
kg he the apt where the wreck Use, with • view of rzz
portion dim may be Seat about.
mum hears m
ile., to the to protest it hens
he mein et he halm Up to tla ices et this aped
beteg ilerwarded none of the he& bed rebeened.

Cwoures.—The following fresh eases were re-
rto the Board of Health on Saturday :—Shepherd's-
asiltdEammarsmith, 6, 1 fatal ; Edinburgh, 4, 2 fatal ;
Glasgow, 6, 4 fatal ; Itioeartoe,7, 1 fatal ; Hamilton, 4 fatal ;
Orssosek, 3, 2 fatal ; Alloa, 2 ; Stow, I.—Total, 20 new
versa• 14 deaths.
Aim-MALT-TAX MoVintigT.—At a numerous and
hallettattel meetlag of the farmers and me-payer residing
In the bandied of Herdsmen, held at the White Hone
Inn, Stoke Mb, on Wedanday, to petition the legis-
lature fee the repeal of the malt-tam, mad for the removal of
Whet mejmt berthing spas the apionlanal iatanst. The
shadatiata wire pamsd
itogillintisadoa et this maw Alitiput miversal dis-
tremens. sompt sb the sokelbend Mom of kis arsatry
mime Os moot honk, prank( wpm this be sempely
imam&
That the hes importation dues sadestals hawing Immo the kw
del the IsA the emit
tag
is •mm mtest and oppressive banks ; tar
ust by stw Wag twornowly the ma Serial production of the
krwsr, ID ail. nese ugssielly to the labouring pupa.
Lame of this away.
That this motios, art mar parrtbeskity More who have leaned
thetr throw mdi ~eked tlialf deplins =dor the late corn lawn.
asi it to Mt • kek twombrat thas. wow those laws are re.
bosimt and mot sedate d pradme reduced to value
beam ths sod et eatahrtisk to pelitiss pediment for immediate
mina
That • p•Ms• b easpied, sal era sepia. a the NM b seat from
ma porta at the Mike" to heft Mom at Pariammt. passim fir
nn Mari Mil immediate nese et knob trk—Omialmotislowily.
os the Dike et lielmsal he regessted to wisest the psWee to
M Haws at lords, sad the smolaws kw km Walks etvir et the
ormary, In tbe Hume of Oinemene. with ibmits Mk kr the an-
did mind of their support m the kte eassdig et /MI tI. Itirmak.