The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-22 00:00:00

lIIR UNIVERSITY COMMISSION.

The following correspondence has passed between
the Premier and the Chancellor of the UeuversitT of
Oxford. Lord John Russell has addressed a similar
letter to his Royal Highness the Chancellcr of Cam-
bridge

My Lord Daka,—Having announced in my place ia par-
Hamm the intention of her Majesty's minimum to advise
' that a royal commiseion should be appointed to iegttiot into
the mate and revenues of the univenities of Oxford and Cam-
bridge ; into the petrisiose of the statutes by which the said
11111infsi 'Ws sad their several oollegcs are governed, and to
report their opinions whether any niellettret can be adopted
by lite crown or by parliament by which the interests of
religion sad wised learning may be promoted in the readmit
of education ia the said universities. I an anxious to explain
to your tt, so the views of her Majesty's confidential sensate
in rcearamending this memos for her Majesty's appraise
tiom

I will sot enter here into the question of the legality of
such a commission. Had it been proposed to exercise powers
going beyond inquiry and report, sub • question siti.,ht
ester into consideration. Bat the present commission will
be a commission to receive evidente and to report opinions
without powers to determine any question or to prescribe
Gay cows*. It becomes the more expedient that the views
which are entertained on the subject should be explained.
No one will now deny that in the muse of three centuries
the inertias of general knowledge, the growth of guiders
literature, the discoveries of physical and chemical science
base rendered changes in the cosine of study at our na-
tional 'infirmities highly expedient. ,The usiversities them-
'elves have aeknowledged this expediency, and very large
reforms of this nature have been adopted both at Oxford and
at Cambridge. These improvements, so widely conceived,
hfleat the highest credit on those Warned bodies.
The object of the proposed commission is not to interfere
with thee* changes, but to facilitate their programs ; not to
mene the decagon of t►e universities by an authority ab
sera, but to bring the aid of the crown, and if necessary of
parliament, to agent la their completion.
This can be done in two ways: Pint, by ascertaining
' and recording, for the information of the Q.lttri and the
two houses of 'milkmen% the new regulatioes which have
bites promulgated, and the mode in which these ref elisions
sire expeigxedsto t!keetT.ct. s -

See;idly, by obtaining a knowledge of the obstacles which
are interposed by the will" of founders, the retention of
customs, and the dcciuons of competent authority to the full
development of that large and improved system of study
which the universities have sought to establish.
I will explain the nature of the obstacles to which I allude.
In many eases the advantages and emoluments of the
separate colleges are limited by the wills of the founders,
either to the nativel of some particular county or district, or
to the scholars educated in a particalar school, or to' some
instances to the drseendents of the founder and his family.
Such restrictions casnet fail to be injurious, and t
injorions in proportion as the field of choice is narrowed by
the particular condition annexed to the advantages of the
college. In other icstances the directions of the founder's
will cannot be complied with under the existing law, and in
arch instances it might fairly be considered whether the
interests of learning and the wants of the country may not be
better considered by an expansion of the governing statutes.
Matters of this nature, however, require deliberate and
c.lig inquiry. Commissioners conversant with the state of
our universities, and versed in a knowledge of the general
polity of our law, will be of essential berries, as well in
pottering out the path of safe improvement as in marking
t'ee dangers of heedless innovation.

moue qu- gloss may and must arise in the coarse of
this inquiry. For instance, has the school which has the
privilege of commanding fellowships or Whiff advantages in
any particular college laden off or increased in numbers and
esasequence since the bequest was made ? Hs the family
of the founder left few or many descendants to enjoy his
bounty ? In the case of religious services prescribed by the
toundtr, but now prohibited by law, does it appear to be the
wish of the founder that in case no such religious services
could be pertormai the foundation was or was not to aid in
the purposes of education ? In the *moot royal foundations,
how far has the crown the power of consulting the good of
the university in the application of the endowment of a
former sovereign ? These and similar question. require are
for their aleesigation sad prudence in their solution. For
this purls, as the utmost care will be taken in selecting com-
missioners, who may not only be well qualified for their im-
portant task, but who may irepire confidence and respect by
their character and position.
I have the honour is be, my lord duke, your faithful end
obedient servant,
May 8. J. RUSSELL.
Ilia Grace the Duke of Wellington.