The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-18 00:00:00

history, modern literature, science, and other branches
of professional teaching, for which no, or very insuf-
ficient, provision was now made ; to remove the
restrictions and throw open the monopolies which
now hampered the usefulness of the collegiate sys-
tem; and to appropriate the vast revenues now
belonging to the separate colleges for educational
purposes in the university generally. ''his, he
urged, if sometimes resulting in an infringement of
the letter of the founders' wills, would often carry out
more completely the spirit of their bequests, and
constituted a change perfectly justified by its great
public utility. Briefly dwelling upon each of these
topics, Lord John Russell proceeded to describe the
successive modifications proposed by his measure.
For the government of the university he intended to
supersede the present Hebdomadal Board, and sub-
stititute an Hebdomadal Council, consisting of
twenty-four or twenty-five persons, in which the
Vice-Chancellor for the current and previous years,
with the two proctors, were to be ex-officio mem-
bers ; some of the remainder were to be nominated
by the Chancellor of the University, but the majority
would be elected, for a period of six years, by the
university congregration. In the oaths to be taken
on entering the university he proposed to make
some change and omissions, which he described ;
and without adopting the recommendation of the
commissioners as to allowing the undergraduates to
live in lodgings out of college, he intended to give
powers to the professors to open halls, under licence
of the Vice-Chancellor, in which the students could
be maintained, subject to a modified degree of disci-
pline, and with greater economy than they found
possible at present. At this point the noble lord
intimated his opinion that any direct interference
with the expenditure of the undergraduates would
be inexpedient reform in that direction, must be
left to moral and parental restraints, but he thought
that the authorities might remonstrate more fre-
quently and sternly with the parents, and call upon
them to withdraw their sons if they proved irreclaim-
ably extravagant. He intended to throw open close
fellowships to a considerable extent, by abrogating
the restrictions existing in favour of certain localities,
founders' kindred, &c., with a few exceptions, but
maintaining the foundatious now appertaining to
certain schools, among whose members, he thought,
they occasioned a wholesome emulation. When
obtained, the fellowships were to be enjoyed only
for a single year, except by persons engaged in
educational duties, holding certain university offices,
or being incumbents or curates residing within
a certain distance of Oxford. For the purpose
of appropriating college revenues to university
uses, be proposed to appoint a commission of
five members, who were to receive and adopt any
suggestions they approved of which might emanate
from the colleges on one hand, or the university
on the other, before the commencement of
Michaelmas term next year. If then the scheme
remained incomplete the commissioners would be
empowered to draw up statutes of their own for the
purpose, which, after passing a certain official and
parliamentary ordeal, would obtain the authority of
law. After stating the limits within which the colle-
giate revenues were to be diverted to university pur •
poses, Lord John passed on to the subject of tests.
With them he did not purpose to interfere in the
present bill ; but he looked upon their abolition as a
collateral result much to be desired, and which might
hereafter follow. It was, however, a matter for sepa-
rate consideration, though now, as well as twenty
years ago, any proposal for admitting dissenters to
the universities would command his vote. In sub-
mitting his project to the house lie claimed fur it the
credit of being a large and comprehensive reform,
calculated to extend the utility of the university sys-
tem, and render it more more worthy of the nation,
while preserving intact its ancient spirit and cha-
racter.
The motion having been seconded, Mr. BLACKETT
regretted that no provision was made in the billl for
the admission of dissenters.
This regret was shared in by Mr. ML.&LL, who
dilated on the injustice inflicted upon the noncon-
formist body in the country.
Mr. WALPOLE followed the proposition through its
various details, on which he offered many criticisms,
and suggested several considerations requiring cau-
tion. lie thought that an enabling, and not a com-
pulsory, bill would be sufficient for the country, and
much more respectful towards the university.
Sir W. HEATHCOTE pointed out that nothing short
of a compulsory act would avail, the collegiate autho-
rities being bound by their own statutes against any
serious charges.

Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER believed that the plan now
proposed embodied a judicious selection from all the
various schemes previously suggested for university
reform.

The disoussion,which involved allusions to various
details of the bill, Was pursued by Mr. Wigrana, Mr.
Heywood, and Mr. Walpole.
Mr. GLADSTONE rejoiced to find that the subject
would be treated in no party spirit. Respecting the