The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-01 00:00:00

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IToi Emus& DORY iddooto I.ITCII. Harm D. Murray.
—And THE MONASTERY OF ST. JUST. Item s. Vining.
Marston, Selma, Ray. and Malian . Mdlle. Stella Colo and
Mrs. Marston.

1117•1711. A.

Tor snows FRANK futsPLOCOHMAN.--CHEYSTY'S
COLOURED COMEDIAN& Music, Songs, Dances, and Operatic
Istravaganza—Mesdamea Losebiai and Constance —And THE
DOWNFALL OF PRlD&—Commence 'tee.

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LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 1.

To the surprise of many the Oxford Tests Bill
was allowed to pass through committee on Wed-
nesday afternoon without opposition. The third
reading stands upon the paper for this evening,
and under ordinary circumstances no doubt the
Bill would pass the House of Commons without
difficulty. But it is well understood that the
vic-
tory has yet to be won. The Opposition declined
to renew the contest in which they have twice
been defeated whilst the Bill was passing through
committee. But their retreat was merely strategicaL
At the eleventh hour they resolved to reserve their
fire until the third reading, considering that upon
that occasion the chances of success would be
greatly increased. And their tactics do credit to
their ingenuity.
It may be remembered that when the Oxford
Tests Bill was introduced, Sir Geoaos GREY and
Mr. GLADSTONE declared that although they thought
some change was necessary, and although they
were therefore prepared to support the second
reading, they were not prepared to admit per-
sons to vote in Convocation who had not
accepted the testa. Accordingly the Government
intimated their intention of proposing certain
amendments which would have the effect
of curtailing the privileges attached to the degree
of Master of Arta. If Mr. GLADSTONE or Sir
GEORGE GREY could have prevailed upon the pro-
moters of the Bill to accept any sort of compromise
short of the complete Bill, it would no
doubt have relieved the Government, and
especially the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
CHEQUEZ and the Arroaser-GENERAL, from
considerable embarrassment. But the mo-
ment such a question was mooted it became ap-
parent that the promoters and their friends, both
within and without the walls of the University,
preferred to abandon the Bill altogether rather
than accede to any modification. A simple-minded
proposal seems to have been made —that the very
persons who had carried the second reading should
themselves introduce these modifications, and thus
mutilate their own measure. But this was at
once put aside. From whom, then, were the
amendments to come T It was not to be expected
that the Opposition should venture to propose
any, their object being to throw the Bill out abso-
lutely. The only persona left to perform this task
were the Government, and they began to discover
that any attempt to curtail the effect of a hot
abolishing religious inequality would be exceed-
ingly distasteful to the great mass of their own
supporters. Thus it has come to pass that the
Bill has been allowed to pass through committee
untouched, and DOW stands for the third reading.
What, then, do the Government propose to do ?
Are they to support or to oppose the third reading ?
That some change in the system of University tests
is imperatively demanded is generally admitted.
At all events it has been amply admitted both by
Sir Gaosoa GREY and by the CHANCELLOR of the
EXCHEQUER. The admirable speech which Mr.
GLADSTONE delivered on the second reading places
this matter beyond a doubt. Upon this ground
the whole weight of the Government has twice
been brought to bear in order to insure the safety of
the Bill, and twice the Government has suooeeded
in spite of the most vigorousefforts of the Opposi4on.
If the Opposition considered that the Bill contains
dangerous principles it was their duty to propose
amendments—if Mr. GLADSTO?iE or the Arroarzy-
GENERAL thought that the Bill required modifica-
tions they had an opportunity of giving effect to
their opinions in committee. But they have not
thought fit to avail themselves of this opportunity.
In fact, the attempt to mutilate the Bill was aban-
doned by both parties as hopeless ; and the ques-
tion now is what the Government ought to do. It
seems strange indeed that any doubt should
exist on the subject. If there is any principle
which still distinguishes a Liberal from a Tory
Government, it is the principle of civil and reli-
gious equality. This principle is directly involved in
the Oxford Tests Bill ; for its object is to open
the gates of the Universities to all owners, with-
out regard to their political and religions opinions,
and to place them on an equal footing. For a
Ministry calling itself Liberal to oppose such a
measure would not only be utterly inconsistent
with their professions, but even, if successful, would
be political suicide. Lord Pautrasron must be
well aware that Mr. Donsox's Bill is not only sup-
ported by every member of Parliament who sits on
his own side of the House, but has the silent
support of some of the most distinguished men on

theother side of the House. Lord PALMERSTON must
be well aware that whilst at the Universities the
Bill is vigorously supported by eminent Church-
men both lay and clerical the leading Nonconformists
throughout the kingdom ►re equally strong in its
favour. if Lord Paisizasrox is the head of a