The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SrFAItRi4 took the chair at the usual hour.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—Assam Company ; Kilrush and Kilkee Railway, and
Poulnashery Reclamation ; Sidmouth and Budloigh Sal
torton Railway; and Sidmouth Railway and Harbour.
TESTS ABOLITION (OXFORD) BILL.
Mr. GOSOHEN moved the second reading of this bill,
which he contended was one that would confer great
benefits.on a very numerous body of go: Women. The tests
now in existence he looked upon as quite below the en-
lightenment of the present day, and he thought that
nothing but the greatest good could result from the bill
which he had the honour of introducing. The object
of the bill was to remove all subscription to the 39
Articles, to throw open all academical degrees, without any
test whatever to give a vote in academical affairs, and to
admit all to certain emoluments from which they wore at
present virtually altogether excluded. The bill was not to
hand over to the Dissenter the emoluments of the Church
of England, but to throw open to many of them that which
they could not hope to attain under the present system of
tests. He thought handing over and throwing open would
be thought by the majority of the house to mean two
totally distinct things. The great question which they
had now to answer was whether they were prepared to
maintain that all the emoluments and franchises of the
universities should be retained for one Church which
comprised but half of the population, but out
of this half to those members only who were pre-
pared to take all those complicated tests now in existence.
He thought the greatest good would result. to the Estab-.
lished Church by the passing of this act, and trusted that
a majority of that house would he of the same opinion.
Mr. DUFF GRANT thought the bill one that ought to
be generally supported, as it gave to the dissenters from the
Established Church an instalment of their just rights to
the benefits of our universities.
Lord ROBERT CECIL said he did not object to the
bill, because it adopted that which was known as the Cam-
bridge compromise to Dissenters wishing to take the
degree of master of arts, but ho objected to it most strongly,
because he considered it would deliver the government of
the universities into the hand of Dissenters. He thoughtit
of the highest importance that good religion should be
taught at our universities in preference *to good classics.
He moved that the bill be read a second time that day six
months.

Mr. DODSON said the objection of the noble lord to the
measure was founded entirely upon a misconception. The
bill, which the noble lord did not appear to have read, did
not throw over the government of the Universities to the
Dissenters, it did not virtually separate the Church from
the State, and it did not place the colleges on the same
footing as the Universities. (Hear, hear.) On the con-
trary, it gave relief from some stringent tests, not from the

teachers, but from those who come to those universities to
be taught, and did that, in his opinion, which would re-
sult in nothing but good in the Established Church.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed
the bill. He could not see how a general education could
be given apart from the religion of the country, and the
question proposed by the mover of the second reading
appeared to him to bo whether the religion of the Church
of England was necessary to onabycthe university to do
its duty. He was of opinion that was. Ho thought the
lay tests ought to be altered and modified, and he was of
opinion that the present regulation did not give all that to
the Dissenters which might be safely given them. (Hear.)
As the amendments that ho might suggest were not likely
to be accepted by the supporters of the bill, it would be
idle to vote for its second reading.
Sir W. HEATIICOTE opposed the bill, because more
was asked than could be fairly given.
Mr. W. E. FORSTER supported the bill. If it was de-
sired to extend the honours of the University of Oxford
to the Dissenters, he, as one of that body, must tell the
house that it must be dealt with open-handed—there
must be no distinction—all must be done in terms of per-
fect equality. He rejoiced to hear the right hon. gentle--
man the Chancellor of the Exchequer express an opinion
that the tesl,s to lay members ought to be amended, and he
only regretted he did not go a little further and vote for
the second reading of the bill.
Mr. G. HARDY contended that the universities were
quite as much national establishments as the churches.
(Hear, hear.) He opposed the bill this year just as
strongly as he did on the last occasion the subject was
under discussion. He never could support a measure
which would, in the words of the hon. member for the
City, admit free inquiries into the governing body of the
university. [Mr. Goschen expressed dissent.! Ho denied
that the members of the Church of England amounted to
but one-half of the people of the country. That had been
offered to be tested when the census was taken in 1861,
but that proposal had been declined.
Mr. NEATE supported the bill. Tho house would not
now attempt for one moment to pass a measure exclusively
for the benefit of the members of the Church of England,
and therefore ho did not think that an act should continue
in operation which would not now receive tho sanction of
Parliament.

Mr. P. HENNESSY said he should vote against the
second reading of the bilL
After a few words from Mr. Moxszu and Mr. Bou-
VERIE,
The house divided, when there appeared—
For the second rond;ner -zo6
Against it
Majority —l6
The bill was then read a second time.

Mr. C. FORTESCUE and Mr. SCULLY supported the bill.
Mr. HENLEY opposed the bill on the ground that it
would produce the greatest perplexity, and spread dissen-
sion broad cast where it was of the highest importance that
the utmost unanimity should prevail.
RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES ACT
(1864) AMENDMENT BILL.

Mr. WHALLEY moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to enable the President of the
Toard, in cases where all parties are agreed, to give
parL,mentary sanction to landowners making railways
through I::,leir own land.

The hon. ni,;:nber was addressing tho houso at a quarter
to six when ho w:.:. s stopped by tho standing order of the
house.

BIRTH OF A PRINCE.
Lord BURY brought up hes* Majesty's answer to the ad-
dress voted by the house on the pccasion of the birth of a
Prince by the Princess of Wales. .11er Majesty thanked
the house for their renewed expression of attachment to her

PHEASANTS (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
INNS OF COURT BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
The other orders were then disposed of, and the house
adjourned.

The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin,
widower of the Princess Anne of Hesse, has just been
betrothed to tho Princess Alexandrine, daughter of
Prince Albert of Prussia.