The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-17 00:00:00

L\IPEIUAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.IWIDNZSDAT, MARCH 1&
LOW RALILSDAAR is the absence of the Lord Chancellor,
leek the *hair at • les misetis put four o'elock.
7be *Way Ball mem read a wooed time.
The Ischieure Bill via read a third time sad pained.
ifs Marius Nutley Bill passed through committee.
The Oessolidasod Fund (4,500,000/.) Bill end the Coneoli
diked Peed (5g4,01501.) Bill were brought up from the COM-
MIS sad reed a first time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OYCOMMONS. —WsintiowAy,MAße it ler

(Oosahrisi frs yastarday's Express.)
TEM ABOLITION (OXFORD) BILL

- - -
Mr. NEWDECIATZ trusted that the right hoe. gentle-
man opposite (Mr. Gladstone), the other member for the
seiverity would not support a measure which would dig-
erpatee hie euestiteesey who had shown him great
ecienhaacy and forbeamaise. He trusted that the bill would
he minted on the sewed reading, because it was for pur-
pose sot avowed, but which would opeo up greet quit'
time that most lead to cootroversy of the most bitter kind,
The CIiANCKLLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
home was invited by his boo. colleague to reject the second
resailag of this ball, sad if soy authority in that house had
hose necessary to induce him to follow that course, the
vein of his hoe. friend would hive been sufficient. During
the mealy yeah they had both represented the University of
Ozferd—though antis( on different aides of the house—
there had not hoes any material or vital difference of
opinion between them. But upon this occasion he was not
aide to follow the call of his boo. friend—Omar, bowl—
ing be could sot help exploring regret that his
be.. freed had moved the rejection of the bill. He be-
lieved that this sad other questions could only be settled by
fair diaeussios is that house and by the intelligent minds of
the naiverety ; aad the deservedly high position occupied
by his hos. friend, sod the great weight attaching to his
(hammer, were considerations which qualified him to inter-
pose as a mediating party in these questions, end pointed
Lis out as one who was likely to bring about • happy
accommodation of the difficulties that were raised against
this measure. (Hear, hear.) But his bon. friend bad refused
to accept any such task, and had invited the house at ores
is reject this hill. He confessed that be thought the Uni-
venity.of Oxfard should have the power of admitting to the
evening body persons whom it might be desirables* bring
sato that body on special grounds, even though they might
not belong to the church of England. But that power
ought to remain with the university itself. Another change
shield be that professorships should be thrown open irre-
spective of any religious teaching. Then again, 'as regarded
halls, there ought to be some alteration. So far as
retvenist.
acquainted with the nonconformist bodies, be found
that some of them were most anxious that they should be
allowed to found private halls, to be presided over by
Motors of their owe persuasion. At presoak at Oxford the
system of private halls was almost inoperative, and if balk
could be founded at Oxfonl on the sense plan as at Cam-
bridge, it would be quite sufficient for the purposes of the
nosconformista. In the Oxford act of 1R.53 it was provided
that any member of convocation, having first obtained •
Loewe for the purpose, might open a private hall. and it
this oecemarily beloaged to a member of the church of
England. Now, nuder that system the nouconformista
most keep their sons from the university altogether, or the
most place them uodir the control of members of the church
of England. He could not see that any danger would
arise if they allowed young men who west to Oxford to be
pieced under the discipline and care of other pencils than
them of the church of England. (Hear, hear.) In the '
Cambridge Act of 1856 no privilege in regard to pri-
vats halls was granted to members of convocation ; but
they were left open to members of that university,
and therefore any gentlemes, having takes the proper do-
gma, and complied with the rule■ and wadies**. might
epee a private hall without being a member of the church
et England. That was • point of great practical importance,
sad he thought it would be invidious to maintain at Oxford
a system which had not been **needed to Cambridge. At
Cambridge uo test was required from a young man who had
ehiaieed a college emolument which might he the means of
meeting him during the time he was au undergraduate, and
he did not see why the same course should not be allowed at
Oxford. Those were the points which remained open for
dinsunioo. and which if conceded would not in any way in. '
tetfere with the exclusive privileges of the governing body i
of the university. Such being the state of the law, he was
at • loss to understand why his hon. colleague should take
epos himself a course of indiscriminate resistance
to this bill He did not wonder that the govern.
isg body at Oxford should express their objections to
the measure, but it was for the house to consider the whole
quietens. sad to endeavour in their wisdom to modify coo.
dieting interests. It had been of bite too much the fashion
to offer resistance to all measures of this nature, and hots.
gentlemen opposite seemed determined not to concede one
of their privileges until it should be wrnag from their '
, and when the value of its relinquishment would not
grasp
folly appreciated. He was not there to ask for any
favours on behalf of the promoters of this bill, hut he felt
anxious to do his duty and to consult the feelings of all
classes in reference to this question. He did not doubt the
encerity, but he did the wisdom of the course of his hoe.
collesgue. It was generally kuowe that sects and parties
would make use of the day of their prosperity, and that
they would sat make any coocassion except under extreme
coercion. Various bills bad of late been proposed which in-
volved concessions in one shape or another to the diseenters,
bat they had all been rejected. He would warn hon. gentlemen
that in these triumphs of the moment they were malaise
difficulties for themselves, and for those who would sit on
those benches in future years, and he believed that *itch a
policy was not the best for the interests of the church of
Eegland. Hear, hear.) . ...... . . . .

Lord K. SIONtACI., supported the bill, but suggested
that any difficulty with regard to it might be got over be
assimilating the practice with regard to the tests at Oxford
to that which now existed at Cambridge.
Mr. BUXTON objected to the system of tests with which
the bill dealt, as tending to impose a heavy burden on the
consciences of young men in the university, who, by ques-
tioning their validity, incurred the danger of being accused
of scepticism. He objected to the repressing of the great in.
tellectual movement and the martian of an opinion which
was going ou amongst the youth of this country, by such
teerneoels and obstacles as the tests in question.
Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that while the opponents of
the bill were accused of indiscriminate resistance to it, it
we the fact that the support it received was of a most in.
dieerinsioate nature—different members supporting it on
different giounds—so that it was difficult to discover what
was its etact principle. The case of Cambridge, which had
boss quoted, was not in point, as the measure proposed to
pee Oxford far is advance in regard to subscription r.f the
eider university. It was not, however, to be supposed that
Oxford was determiaed to offer resistance to every measure
of chugs and improvement because objection was made to
• bill, the principle of which was deemed to be inadmissible.
Mr. WALTF:It said the supporters of the bill ware at
cross-purposea, for its proposer seemed to desire to admit
dissenters to the privileges of the governing body of the
sehrersity ; while Mr. Gladstone, who supported it, said
that was sot what be meant to advocate. While be was
prepared to support a measure which would relax the pre-
med system of tests, be could sot adopt • bill which went
as far as that now propose&
Mr. GOSCHEN denied that the sole object of the bill
was to admit dissenters to the government of the univer-
sity ; its object was to relieve the distressed consciences of
assay members of the univemity, and to remove obstacles
to learning and inquiry into truth which the present system
of tests created.

• WALPOLE pointed out that many. if not most, of
the supporters of the bill supported it on different grounds,
and claimed for it a efferent principle ; so that it was
sought to introduce sal pus a measure which professed
ipso object, while really cud practically its effect would be
to carry cut soother.. _
_

Sir 6. LACEY mid he wished to state distinctly that in
supporting the second reading of this bill, he did so upon
the assumption that its principle was not the severance of
the exclusive connexion between the governing body of the
usiversity and the chutch. He believed, however, that if
it were reed a third time in its present shape, that would be
the effect. !Opposition cheers.) At the same time, it
would be perfectly competent for any hoe. member to move
the introduction of the necessary qualification is committee.
Mr. DoDSON shortly replied. He thought he bad cause
to complain wbon hon, member@ asserted the principte of
the bill was not that which he bad represented. he princi-
ple was sot the admission of diameters to the governing
bodies of the university. but the opening out of university
education, and the removal of all unnecessary stringent
tests. (Hear. bear.)
The house then divided.
The number were—
For the sewed reeding 2ll
Against it
The announcement el the numb's' was received with

The bill was thee read a woad time,
ELECTInN PETITIONS BILL.

Mr. HUNT moved the mooed roadie; of this bill.
Mr. Gotomsior sad Mr. CAM, expressed their intention
sf opposing che bdl at a future stags.
The bill was read a *wood time.
METROPOLITAN SUBWAYS BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
RANK NOTES (SCOTLAND).
Sir J. HAY obtained leave to bring is a bill to authori.e
sad regulate the issue of bask motes to Scotland by banking
wompasies. _ _