The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-18 00:00:00

( From eke Times. )

The Cambridge reply to the Ministerial inquiries on
the subject of University Reform will be found to jus-
tify the anticipations we expressed respecting it about a
fortnight ago. On 'three out of the five points sub-
mitted, conclusions are excusably delayed, but the first
and most important point of the academical constitu-
tion receives particular notice. Of this constitution and
of the real questions involved in its amendment, it is
now time to give the public some idea.
The University of Cambridge is incorporated under
the title of " the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars" of
the said University. The Chancellor is an elective
officer of exalted rank, but whose duties are performed
by deputy ; the Scholars, as being in statu pupillari,
have no share in the government, but the " Masters,"
under which term is included all complete graduates in
any faculty who keep their names on the College boards,
meet for business in an assembly called the Senate. The
Senate is divided into two Houses, one composed of
members above five years' standing, and, the other of
members below that mark. Legislation is carried on
by propositions termed "graces," which are laid before
the Senate, and on which the two. Houses decide, sepa-
rately, by a majority of votes, so that one House serves
as a check upon the other. The Senate, however, is
not a deliberative body ; it can only say "Yes" or
"No" to the actual propositions brought before it.
For the purposes of government, the University sta-
tutes provide a vice-chancellor, being the chancellor's
deputy, who is the chief magistrate of the community,
and a council, styled in its Latin designation, the " Ca-
put." The Vice-Chancellor and the Caput are elected
annually for one year's service, the latter being com-
posed of five representative members, one from each of
the three faculties of divinity, law, and physic, and gine
from each of the two houses in the Senate. Every
grace or motion before being introduced to the Senate
must be first considered in the Caput or Council. and
must pass it without a dissentient vote—the Vice-Chan-
cellor being President of the Council ex officio. The
general reader will probably be not a little perplexed to
understand what features of this constitution can have
excited so much dissatisfaction, or provoked such a de-
cided condemnation as the Ministerial rescript conveyed.
Undoubtedly the framework is narrow compared with
the expansion of the University, but the " main ele-
ments" of the community do
,pertainly, with one excep-
tion, appear to obtain "effective representation," and
the system in itself is exactly that which has been ap-
proved in all similar cases by the experience of centuries.
IVe have only to change the scholastic names of " Vice-
Chancellor" and " Caput" into the more familiar
"Mayor" and " Council," and we get precisely
the
eles
of
government which every corporation requires.
What, then, are the circumstances which, to the great,
satisfaction of the University, have extorted from
Ministers so direct and imperative a demand for reform
in this one particular ? The answer can be very clearly
given.
The University includes 17 endowed foundatifms
termed " Colleges" or "Halls." These foundations are
administered respectively by bodies of their own officers,
and the first of these officers in poSition and statutable