The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BCRY GAZETTE.'

SIR,—On the contest that has just 'now terminated for the
representation of the University, and in a manner that all true
friends to our Protestant Constitution in Church and State must
have wished it to terminate, permit me to offer a few remarks.
They will be found such as the event naturally calls forth, and
such as, I trust, the plain common sense and integrity of your
readers will not be disposed to treat as entirely irrelevant. For
myself, I have no interest in the business save what is conjoined
with the public good. I shall, therefore, enter upon the sub-
ject at once, convinced that apology is not needed where no-
thing offensive to the broad and straight forward course of vir-
tue is intended.

On such an occasion it was to be expected, Sir, that aspir
ing candidates would be called forth and peculiar exertions
made. As soon, therefore, as it was known that a va-
cancy in the representation had happened, several Gentle-
men came forward upon their several interests. I do not
wonder at this. The honour of representing the Univertities
of Oxford and Cambridge must ever be considered as empha-
tically a distinguished honour ; as indeed the very crown of re-
presentation, and what more will be found to covet, than are,
in any view of the thing, fit for it. A man worthy, in such a
case, to be a candidate, must possess qualities of no common
cast, and principles too rooted to admit of any shadow of sus-
picion. He must have imbibed from the best sources a warm
and proud attachment to our Civil and Ecclesiastical Esta-
blishments, and a grateful recollection of that political wisdom
which happily cemented the present union between them. He
must be persuaded that the liberty of the press is the blessing
of England, but its uncurbed licence her deep and deadly curse.
He must steadily impress -upon his mind, and openly avow in
his conversation and conduct, that a restrained Toleration is the
best safeguard of " pure and reformed Christianity," and a
Toleration unrestrained, her perpetual injury and annoyance.
And, above all, he must be able to lay his hand upon his heart
and declare, as in the presence of his Maker, that the emanci-
pation of the Roman Catholic, would, in his solemn conviction
and belief, be the destruction of the English Protestant Church.
. If he cannot, with a safe conscience hold up these principles as
leading articles in his creed of Christian Politics, with a safe
conscience, he cannot offer himself for such a representation ;
nor for a moment can he be countenanced, directly or indirectly,
by such constituents.
But not only, Sir, must he who is selected for the Represen-
tative of a University be right in his principles, it is further de-
sirable that he possess the ability strongly to inforce these go-
verning principles upon others.—lf a senator, mighty in elo-
quence and wisdom, is ever needed, it is when he is deputed to
bear with him the wisdom and eloquence, as it were, of
the nation.—lf a mind capable of ruling and awing an au-
dience, and of supporting the cause of religion and good
government is any where to be met with, it should be sought,
and has a claim to be found, in shades sanctified by
the studies of philosophers and legislators, and by the
genius of the poets who have imparted immortality to these
seats of the muses. Such a mind becomes a public property.
His talents must be exerted, not only in behalf of his peculiar
constituents, but of all those who have either injuries to redress,
rights to enjoy, or duties to perform. He must be able, when
the occasion calls, to lift up his voice for God, for his King,
and for his Country : for estahleshed institutions to which time
had imparted veneration, and established usages, which expe-
rience bath converted into laws. With a heart as fearless as his
oratory is powerful, he must stdnd as a guardian angel by the
side of virtue, and bid those to violate the purity of her spirit
who dare ! A misrepresented Loyalty—a defamed Hierarchy—
an insulted Throne—these must constitute the themes of his
vidication ; and, in behalf of these, with a stern and holy reso-
lution, regardless of " evil report or good report," he must
pledge his soul to the fulfilment of his duties.
This, Sir, is my notion, and I hope not an overstrained one,
of a suitable representative for a learned and orthodox Univer-
sity. I t is, at any rate, . a desirable standard of excellence,
which I have marked out, whether it be an attainable one or
not. Let us then briefly run over the list of candidates, and
see how far they were likely to answer honest expectation, and
to tally with the conditions laid down.
The first, and assuredly the fittest, upon this list was the
Speaker of the House of Commons. Of large virtue, of tried
experience, of competent ability, this gentleman was every way
suitable to adorn the honourable office to which, 1 doubt not,
he would have been called by the suffrages of his friends. Ile
needed neither family connexion, nor Evangelical zeal, nor
Whig contrivance, nor distorted Toryism' to second his inte-
rest. All that revered his character would have supported his
cause, and none would have been found opposed to his success
but those who were inimical to his principles.
But a fatality unlooked for compelled him to withdraw from
the contest. Plain people thought, and I have heard no one
blame them for it, that this gentleman would have previously
well considered the peculianty of his official situation. They
never dreamt that votes would have been solicited by a candi-
date who had afterwards to find out that he could not become
a candidate. It was still less to be conceived, that from the
very fountain head of Parliamentary usage, the accredited or-
gan of legal ability or disability, an error f so extraordinary
a natare should have arisen. Such, however, was the fact, and
certainly some confusion, as well as some disappointment, was
a consequence of this secession ; for the University was thus
left to make a lean and hungry choice, between candidates of
whom she either knew nothing, or knew nothing that she de.
sired to know.
Lord Hervey, a mere political stripling, amiable indeed, in
his private deportment, anti highly respectable in his family
connexions, but with no years over his head, and no opportu-
nity of having, as yet, much looked round on life and man.
ners, was certainly not a fit person for so staid and venerable
a representation. His opinions, moreover, on the Catholic
question were, 1 understand, no secret; for a previous explicit
declaration is supposed, upon pretty good authority, to have
been, on that point, very early obtained from him. Neither
from his address to the Electors was there much ground to
presume upon any future material change in the bias of his
sentiments. Clearly, therefore, there was nothing about his
Lordship's peculiarly prepossessing to Government principles
and partizans. They could construe his assurance of a mode-
rate support of Ministers in no way very agreeable to their
decided feelings in favour of the measures of the present Admi-
nistration. In fact, they could look upon it in hardly any other
light than as a decent assimilation with Tory prejudices, a sort
of half politic, half compassionate flexibility of mind to Tory
appearances and apprehensions. Little certainly was promised,
but probably quite as much as it was intended should be per-
formed.
Of Mr. Grant the Electors knew more; he was an older,
and, in some measure, a tried man. His 'abilities were acknow-
ledged, but his views, I apprehend, so far as they lay open
to public inspection, were disliked ; nor were his more
peculiar partizans of, perhaps, the most popular descrip-
, lion, The " Cambridge University Calendar for the year
1801," was probably his best friend. There he appears with
honour, and there to be honoured is no mean recommenda-
' Lion of any man. Whether his political opinions, in the gene-
ral, were sufficiently appreciated, I cannot say. In one material
point, however, they had been quite enough developed, and in
' that point seem to have been decisive of his pretensions. He
was the first to retire from a contest, where, but for the prepon-

lerance of his Catholic prepossession, many, I suspect, would
iave wished to have seen him the last.

As for Mr. Scarlett, a Whig, I presume, of the old school.
newly radicalized, his interest could only have been promoted
by those who, generally speaking, affect little regard for the
interest of either Church or State. Wherefore, he should have
offered himself as a candidate, is unintelligible. With almost
every opinion lie entertains, at variance with a sound and sober
discretion, how, for a moment, could they so bolster up his po-
litical deformities, as to persuade him that such a represents'
tion would endure such a representative. The issue of thig
contest will, however, have taught his high-minded party an
humbler lesson. It will have taught them that Whig politics,
dashed with infidel principles, whatever they may effect in other
places, cannot accomplish the work of disorder here..A prePer'
decent, assurance may be a prime article at a Smithfield meet'
ing, or a Spafields convocation, but the instant it touches upET
classic ground, it blushes for its complexion, and dies paralytic.
Now, Sir, I ask, could the University have any choice among
such heterodox candidates ? All were objectionable though not''
equally so ; for all advocated principles which were repulsive
to the Established Religion of the Realm. Ile who favours the
Catholic Claims may offer himself as a representative far a•PY
county, city, or borough in the kingdom ; but, if there be such
a thing as truth, or consistency, or Protestant character to Pre'
serve, he cannot become the representative of an Anti-catholic
University. The anomaly is of too monstrous a nature to he
endured.
Very distressing, therefore, Sir, was it for the consistent, 11
far, as the event bath shown; the major part of the University,
that no candidate, at a rather late period, had appeared to so'
licit their suffrages, whose opinion, on this vital point; was
unison with their own. At length, however, they were relieve
from their suspense. Mr. Bankes made his appearance, air
was joyfully hailed,,and cordially supported. All immediate
ranged tinder his banner who were determined, though the
times were hard, to " keep a conscience," and to do their dutP
—The event was commensurate with exertion. Mr. Bank.
late in his application ; opposed in a powerful quarter;
drawing nothing from years and experience ; and rePoshl
solely on the public expression of hi: principles, and the ano'
ableness of his private character, has been returned the ROO;
sentative of the University of Cambridge, by a decided an
most triumphant majority !
I now, Sir, for the present take my lean e. In your neat
week's paper; if you will permit me, I shall give you my on;
qualified opinion upon the extraordinary conduct evinced tllw
this occasion, of thinking one way and of voting another.
MARCUS.