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

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OP LORDS—Last Evening,
Lord REDESDALE, as Speaker by Commission, took his
seat on the woolsack at four o'clock.
MUTINY BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
ENCLOSURE BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.

MARINE MUTINY BILL.
This bill passed through committeo.
CONSOLIDATED FUND (X1,500N0) BILL.
This bill, which was brought up from the House o
Commons, was read a first time.

CONSOLIDATED FUND (£584,650) BILL,
This bill was also read a first time.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS---Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.

Mr. SIIRTEES took the oaths and his seat frr Hert-
fordshire. The hon. gentleman was introduced by Sir
Edward B. Lytton and Mr. Abel Smith.
THE BRADFORD RESERVOIRS.
Mr. FERRAND gave notice that to morrow he should
ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether
he would have any objection to communicate to the house
the answer he had received from the Mayor of Bradfoid to
his letter, and also, if he could inform the house whether
the other reservoirs at Bradford were not in as equally
dangerous a state as that which had just burst at Sheffield,
and also whether the Store Reservoir at Bradford and that
which had caused the calamity at Sheffield were not con-
structed by the same engineer.
THE ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Mr. F. PEEL moved the postponement of the orders of
the day until after the two Consolidated Fund Billa were
read a third time, in order to allow of their receiving the
Royal assent on Friday next.
The motion was agreed to, and
The Consolidated Fund Bill (4500,000) and Consoli-
dated Fund Bill (£584,650) were read a third time, and

passed.
JUDGMENTS, &c., LAW AMENDMENT BILL.
Mr. HADFIELD moved the second reading, the object
of which was to put an end to the vexatious practice of
making researches in every case in the transfer of land.
Sir G. GREY said he had no objection to the second
reading of the bill, provided it was referred to a select
committee.
The bill was then read a second time, and referred ac-
cordingly.
TESTS ABOLITION (OXFORD) BILL.
Mr. DODSO N moved the second reading of this bill, the
object of which he said was to abolish the religious tests
for the degree of Master of Arts, embracing submission to
the 39 Articles and the whole of the Prayer-book. He
denied that the abolition of these teats would at all injure
the universities or cause religious dissensions in them. If
the bill passed the effect would be that the degree would
be open without any religious test whatever, and which
was now the case both in the Dublin and Scotch universi-
ties. The tests were imposed in times long gone by when
religious opinions were looked upon as a part of a political
creed, and as the times had now become more tolerant he
trusted the house would agree to the second reading of the
measure. It might be said that the bill would place Dis-
senters in universities in a position to become members of
the governing bodies ; but if they went into committee the
objections could be most fully and freely discussed.
A petition had been presented from Oxford, agreed to
unanimously in Convocation, against the bill, but he could
not assent to the prayer of the petition, because it would be
absurd to say that religious harmony existed in Oxford.
He earnestly awed the house to give the bill a second read-
ing, and thus affirm the principle that education was really
tree at Oxford. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. NEATE supported the bill, but he could not say it
was with pleasure that he did so, because the circumstance
of so doing would place him in opposition with many per-
sons whose friendship he estimated most highly. It was
true that Dissenters were not excluded from the University
at Oxford, but they could not get further than the degree of
Bachelor of Arts; and that, in his opinion, could not be
called admission at alt. (Hear, hear.) No spirited young
man would enter public life with the knoWledge that he was
not to aspire higher than a Lord of the Treasury—(;)ear,
hear, and laughter)—because that was about the position
certain gentlemen were allowed to attain at Oxford. He
did not think the unfavourable results anticipated by gen-
tlemen opposite would result from the passing of this bill,
and therefore he should vote for its second reading.
On the SPEAKER putting the motion,
Sir W. HEATUCOTE moved that the bill be read a
second time that day six months.
Mr. G. DUFF supported the bill. He contended that
subscription to the 39 articles did not secure unitormity, and
he was also of opinion that clerical influence had done harm
to Oxford from the earliest time down to the disgraceful
scene which took place in the Senate House on the tlth of
March last, Every improvement made in modern times
had been forced upon the University by public opinion ;
and, considering the vast resources and power of the Uni-
versity, he thought there was none doing so little for the
advancement of science and learning as that at Oxford.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said the present was an attempt to
force changes upon the University of Oxford, under the
form of moderate proposals, and as the bill was neither a
candid nor an honest one, he should give it his most deter-
mined opposition. The bill then under discuesion was
brought forward by a small and restless minority who
seemed determined to greatly injure a corporation of the
most learned and eminent men who had existed. In place
of the tests now submitted at Oxford, a declaration was
sought to be established by the bill, viz., " being a bona-
fide member of the Church of England," than which there
ceuld not be a more perfect delusion. . He appealed to the
right hon. gentleman who had so long represented the
University, not to give his support to a measure which
sought to degrade its constitution to the extent that was
now proposed.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER regretted
he could not follow the call of his hon. friend and colleague
in the representation of the University of Oxford, and vote
for the rejection of the bill—(hear, hear)—as he did not
think he was taking a wise course in moving the amend-
ment he had done. His right hon. friend appeared to be of
opinion that the greatest advantages would result from a
correspondence of the two Universities, but now, when an
approach was made to that unformity, he determined to
forego the advantage presented by the bill. He could not see
the force of the observations that had bean made, that the bill
was one for the admission of Dissenters to governing bodies
of the University, because as far as he could discover the
measure appeared to him to be totally unconnected with such
au object. He could not see why there should be a special and
exceptional law atOxford to enable one party to take an ob-
jectionable course to ascertain the religious opinions of the
lay members of convocation ; and while he gave hi, support
to the second reading of the bill, he wished it to be clearly
understood that he would not vote for the third reading
without some amendment was made in certain
clauses which affected minor degrees of divinity. He
cauld not see there was any great danger in the opening of
private hails at Oxford by persons not being members of
the Church of England, especially as that system was in
existence at Cambridge. Another subject had been
adverted to, namely, the reconsideration of the college emolu-
ments ; and he, for one, did think that certain improve-
ments could be made with those emoluments in connection
with scholarships. He thought it was most unwise on tho
part of a large and influential party to make a determined
and indiscriminate resistance to concession. He, for one,
was prepared to grant those cone. ssions, not because he
had any fear, but because he telt it was the wisest and best
course at the present time to adopt.
Mr. SELWYN thought the bill involved a very dan-
gerous principle, and therefore ho should vote against its
second reading. It had been said by the introducer of this
bill that disunion and disturbance existed at the present
time at Oxford. If that was so, was it, he asked, the most
fitting time for passing such a bill as that now before them,
which could only add to, and not allay, the strife that was
said to exist there.

Mr. SCULLY said, he was bound by his oath as a mem-
ber of the Church of Rome to abstain from doing anything
injurious to the Church of England, but he had come to the
conclusion to support the bill, because rather than tend to
weaken it would strengthen the Established Church of
England. He did not think there was that exclusion in the
the Church of England that had been spoken of. To him
it appeared that the Church was open to everybody, but the
loaves and fishes of the establishment were, on the
contrary, open to but very few. (Oh, and laugh-
ter.) He was used to hear his country spoken slight-
ingly of, but he knew this, that nothing was heard o
this exclusive system in that part of her Alajesty's domi-
nions. (Bear. hear.) There appeared to be great impor-
tance attached to academical honours, and no doubt a man
with collegiate degrees entered life from an elevated plat-
form, but the possession of those honours, whether at the
bar or any other profession, did not of necessity ensure suc-
cess. (Hear, hear.) He did not think the public Would
estimate higher than they did at present the hon. mem-
bers for Rochdale and Birmingham, supposing they were
to write M.A. after thiir names.

Lord R. MONTAGU thought the diffaences that
existed in the house with respect to this bill could be
bridged over, provided words were introduced to make the
system at Oxford similar to that pursued at Cambridge.
Mr. BUXTON said a great deal had been said against
the bill hon. gentlemen opposite, yet no one had yen-
turedt byodeal with the cruel oppression put on the con-
sciences of numbers of young men at the University of
Oxford. Ile should with great pleasure vote for the second
of the bill.
Sir S. NORTIICOTE defended the course taken by the
hon. gentlemen on his side of the house. It appeared to be
the desire of the suprorters of the bill to put Oxford a step
in advance of Cambridge, and that position would compel
Cambridge to take another step, and they would go on without
any clearly defined end in view. It behoved all those who
wished to maintain the relationship between the universi-
ties and the church to resist the movement, and therefore
he thought it worse to make a stand against the bill
now submitted for the maintenance of Parliament. He