The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-10 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 10, 1850.

LAMBETH FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.

The first publics meeting of the above society was
held yesterday erasing, at 8 o'clock, is the Isms nos at the
Horns Tavern, Ilenataetea. Mr. Looc■ Luco, M.P.,
oseapted the chair, supported by Mr. Watteau, the masher
for the borough.

TM CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceeding., expressed
his opinion that the moiety would bosoms one of the most
important on that aide of the Thames. These societies had
two objects, both laudable, one being political, the other
social. In mud to the first, the object was to render it
ismer to obtain the franchise, and a uneequent semen= of
the suffrage, so that a large number more would have
the right' end privlieges of free citizens. The social object
was also of great importance, for it was to enable
the working classes to obtain secure investments for their
nthp patting the best possible saving' bank in their
weg—leleM Melt. (Hui, hear.) To two suck objects no
Min meld offer any reasonable objectless. A government
• meaning Well to the people would put the bail' of
=l"Mitwin upon the truest possible foundation, which
sseillame to incense not only with the increase of
pulpithwatotweshh, bat above all with inmeased intelli
gene. sp wan Derry to soy they had not arrived at a due
sense ofjastice in the matter of the franchise, for it abounded
with anomalies. He had made out a list of twenty
boroughs returning forty members with a population
not exceeding the eastern division of Surrey, which returned
only twosome:Men. la *sense county was Reigate, with only
198 electors, being almost the us matfett borough in the king.
dom, while Lambeth with upwards of 16,000 electors sent
only two members to the House of Commons; end while
Croydon, a large and populous town, was without any mem-
ber at all. (Hear, hen.) A remarkable fact connected
with Surrey was, that the county had both increased end
dammed the number of their elation. Ia the 'amen din.
sloe they bad gone on increasing the number, and the remit
was that East Salm was the only county which bad sent
two member who voted with Mr. Huse on his extensive
motion for reform. (Hear, hear.) Now, West Surrey bad
constantly decreased the number of Manors. Prior to the
census of 1841 the population was 86,227, and the
number of electors 3,681. According to the bet mans
the population of West Surrey had leareased to 134,870,
and the number of electors had actually diminished, for it
appeared that in 1848.9 the electon numbered 3,661, and in
1849.60 they were 3,610, less than in the election in
1841, when they were 3,681. The effect was, that Wert
Surrey had sent two members, who, If not desirous of going
back to things 1,11 they were, were certainly no friends to
progression. (Hear, hear.) If they wished to do away with
these anomalies, there was a very safe way of so do-
ing—they mum petition parliament to area the mi-
nority with power, and they must arm the government
with power also, for be could not believe that
the noble lord who in 1832 had passed the Reform Bill,
would in 1860, when we were no longer in advents* of the
rest of the world in the representation, refuse the wishes of
the people, if strongly and reasonably ezpremed.
The object of these societies was to bring the land
naturally and freely into the market, while the nodal system
kept it out of the market, and held 111 inj the! possession of
a few persons unable to improve it, or unwilling
to let is go into other hands. There we. nothing
worm for a country than that the land should be
locked up by a few persons without the mesas or without
the will to improve it. Toe hon. gentleman here referred
to an article which lately appeared in the Morning Chronicle,
and quoted an wend from it throwing some doubt upon the
expediency of this freehold land movement. The press, with
the exception of the Daily News and the Advertiser, ran
against them. To them they were obliged, and the others,
be hoped, would soon become converts. The hon.
chairman concleded by expreesing his good opinion
of these societies, and that the benefit arising from
them, if under proper management, would be eon
moue.
The SECRETARY (Mr. B. B. Wale) gave a abort history
of the freehold land movement, and a description of the ma-
ninety and operation of such moisties.
Mr. SINGER moved the first resolution, to the effect that
the freehold land movement was calculated to eleven the
social position of the working dames.
Mr. HYDE PALMER, in seconding the resolution, said
he looked most to the political aspect of this movement;
but viewed le either the political, or the social and
moral aspect, great benefits must arise from it.
Mr. GRAY here ascended the platform and spoke for a
short time. He was opposed to the system of freehold land
movements, which he thought were mere moonshine, and
woul l not effect their object. It was an infraction of the
principle of no property qualification for elm:tones well as for
member,. The working cheese could not get the money for
investment, aid they had • paramount claim on their own
account to • voice in legislation. These land societies could
not achieve any practical amelioration of their condition.
Mr. WILLIAMS had gent pleasure in attending any
meeting of his eionstituents whenever they were called to-
gether foe • public purpose. He had declined to ac-
cept any office in the society because his time was
too much bespoken for him to discharge the duties
properly, and his opinion bad always been that when
a mu eoeepted office it was incumbent upon him to attend
to the longtime of It, and not merely hold out his name to
induce others to join. (Hear, hear.) They had, however,
the highest security In their hon. chairman. (Hear, hear.)
He comidered this freehold lend movement, in a social and
moral point of view, of the greatest possible importance.
They must be cantol in the selection of lands. Hitherto
be had heard of nothing at the meetings bat on the sunny
side of the question, and he recommended caution and die-
'motion.
The resolution then passed.
Mr. EDWARDS moved the next resolution, expressing
the opinion of the meeting that the Lambeth Freehold Laud
Society was calculated to carry into afoot the objects of such
societies, and of the borough and neighbourhoods generally.
Mr. SOMERS seconded the resolution, which was carried.
Thanks wen then, on the motion of Mr. WILLIAMS,
voted to the Chairman, who acknowledged the compliment
briefly, and the meeting separated.

THE FOG.

MAPICHUM.—Then has been a fog in the
Issighbourhood of lliaataseeter unprecedented for inn-
tics, and of 'great density. It has prevailed more or Isis
every day since Wednesday last, but on Sunday evening and
yesterday it was very troubleione. It has driven down the
smokie from the (way and other chimneys, so that the
atmosphere is almost Isaias, and people have had almost to
grop. their way through the streets by clinging class
to the houses as either side, eves in the day time. People
riding gigs and other voidable weld sot ass for enough
to Sad their way out of the main streets late those
they might want to drive to, and it has been no ancommon
thing to see them getting down to lead the ham or to fee
some boy to lead their home for them to the hazing. Oa
Saaday eveniag a gentleman going in a cab from the town into
Oreenheys was drives through the kedge rote a tad. On
I the railways fewer &widows have taken pleas than might be
*attested, but oa Sanday evening • men was killed on the
Lancashire sad Yorkshire Sae, sad yesterday missing
another man orrioasly hart as the Loads. and North
Western line. The former was Itobut Verily a guard, on
the Oldham branch. Be had returned about half-pest tea
o'etook with the unattached Geese from Oldham. and left it
at Mills Platting, whales he started to walk down the in.
Sias to the station at Mutchester. The engine of another
trait followed him about ten minutes after he left, sad he is
sapposed not to have sees It owing to the fog. Yester-
day morning hie body was found dreadfully mangled on
the Rae, and he could only be reeognised by ilia clothes. The
unfortunateman has left a widow and chill. Be had
worked on the line ten yam. The saddest as the London
and North Wester. took plant at Ardent, far from the
manna to the station. A coach cleaner, wawa Sutton,
was coming down with an engine from the engiasihed at
Leaggight, about seven o'clock, to the station, sad Jumped
off at Ardwkk whilst the engine wee slowly in motion. It
is supposed that owing to the dankly of the fog he miscal-
culated the distaste be would have to leap, and fell under
the after-wheels ot the engine from that cause. Bath his
legs were nearly severed below the hams, and it is hardly
likely he will survive.

CIL.M3OOW.—TIie North British Mail of yesterday
says For the last two days, a dense fog has hung over the
city; which, in addition to its ineenveniene and mfort,
has, we regret to say, been attended with lees of life. The
fog settled down oa Saturday forenoon, and, with bat brief
intervals, has sines that time enveloped the town to an atom-
' sphere to dean, that objects could with difficulty be discerned
it a few yards' distance. Yesterday forenoon, in particular,
the annoyance experienced by church goers was excessive.
It burg impossible to keep a look-out ahead, personal eel
unions were of constant occurrence, and many missed their
way. The traffic on the river was almost entirely suspended
on Saturday, and thou 'meets which ventured up had to
keep their bells constantly sounding. The Belfast steamer,
in consequence of this obstruction to the navigation, was de-
tained seven or eight hones beyond her time. The accidents
resulting from the tog have been numerous, and in two in-
stances fatal On Saturday night, a man named Alex.
M'Corkindale, passing along the quay, mimed his footing,
and fell into the water. Ha mien were overheard by the
watchman on duty, and he was got out aniejared. The
same evening Robert M'Clare mistook his way, and
stumbled into the river near the Custom-house quay. Ile also
was rescued, but in such an exhausted eats that lean
were entertained for his recovery.—The same evening, a boy
fell tato the canal, at a place near Allan Shad*, and was
drowned. The body of the youth, whom name is Robert
Carnegie, was recovered in the tonne of yesterday. This
was not the only fatal mushy. About 4 o'clock yesterday
Daniel Murphy, the private watchman of the Cairn
Hill Canal Company, while approaching too near the edge
of the canal formes' coals to replenish the watch house fire,
stepped into the water, and lost his life, leaving a widow and
family.