The Sun.
London, England, 1809-12-07 00:00:00

UMV±,RSITY OF OXFORD.

A SECON n. LRTTER TO THE MEMBERS CF CONV'CICA•

TION, FROM AN INDEPENDENT MASTER OF ARTS.

OXFORD, DECEMBER 6.
Mr. EDITOR—In my letter, inserted a few days
Sh,Ce in your Paper, I raqueated the attention of the
Members of Convocation, to the remonstrances of the
University against the dothines of Lord GnEN-
Lee. It appeared evident from them, that he and we
were completely the antipodes of each other. That
when we thought it our duty to travel one road, his
Lordship took another, and dire&ly.the opposite.—
My chief reason for the publication of that letter
was, beeause I was satisfied, as I still am, that
Many hundreds of our absentee Members were not
fully informed of these proceedings. They are now
brought under notice, and their weight will be
justly appreciated. It will be remembered, that
a non placet has been three times expressed
against the principles of Lorda.GßarsarteeE, by
three solemn and unanimat.s• votes, passed in the
Public Convocation House- of the University,—
Whoever thinks of tlis will pause a few mi-
nutes, and must feel himself tinder the urgency of
.nothing short `` of immediate and uncontroulable ne-
cessity" (such are Lord GRENVILLE'S Words), if he
can be induced to enter the walls of the same Con-
vocation Hoese, and declare that man deserving
of the confidence of the University, against whom
such resolutions are recorded. What has his Lordship
clam:- to redeem himself, and work out the reversal
of this academical attainder ? He refused to give the'
KING a pledge not to renew the Catholic Ques-
tion. Has he given us that pledge ? No, for 1 here
publicly assert, that his- letter to the. Principal of
Brazen Nose most positively refuses it.' What is
his Lordship's merit then at this moment ? That of
stubborn inflexibility ; a whimsical reason this for
our submission. After giving you this caution not
to surrender your consistency and eharader" to the
GRENVILLITES, let me intreat you next to take care
lest they seize and run away with your privileges. I
will explain ss hat I mean. I rather think that many
of u are not quite apprised of the powers belonging
to the office a our Chancellor.. I have not time
to examine into all of them ; but I will sided
one as a specimen :—Our Chancellor, be it recol-
lected, is the Keeper of our Seal, the right of pos-
session and dominion ever which belongs exclusively
and solely to him, though he may delegate its use if
he pleases. Should Lord GRENVILLE be raised to
this office, only consider how the privilege of ad-
dressing and petitioning will be effetded. Do you
suppose his Lordship will allow the Seal to be
affixed to a petition dire6tly and personally levelled
against himself i Ne, no, will his Lordship say, you
have petitioned enough already„ and until you under-
stand good bceedirg better, and are brought a little
more to your senses, I shall lock up the Seals in my
strong box at Baconnocls. In the mean time, what
becomes of this privilege of thinking and speak-
ing ? Are yon certain you can get the better of his
Lordship ? Be not too confident of, this. But if
relief may be bad, how is it to be got at? Through
the medium of a struggle with your own Chancellor
in Westminster-Halt ; a law suit, to rescue from
violence that first article in the Academical Biil of
Peghts, the right of declaring your sentiments; a
process against the Keeper of the Conscience of the
Univerity for running with away it. Will yoy, de-
deliver your Seals, then, to Laid Ga aNvl Lea, for the
purpose only of disarming yonrselt of your only
weapon of defence against his attacks ? If you can
do this, oh lepiclos homines, your under-graduates
will applaud his Lordship for thus plucking you.
I shall proceed now to the examination of a point
of infinite importance to the interests of the Univer-
shy, namely, what would in reality be theeffea of
Lord GRENVILLE'S system, and the operation of the
repeal of the Catholic Test lms,' so far as the Uni-
versity is concerned, for the discussion of this mea-
sure in till its bearings would require 20 letters in-
stead of one. Let us look, therefore, at its peculiar
bearing on ou.selves. You are aware that at pro-
eut !he principal barriers which prevent the admis-
ion of Cstholica into employments under Govern-
ment are, the sacramental test, and the oath of ab-
juration ; these, with all others of the same
nature, Lord GB.ENVILLE proposes to abolish, and
is the place of them to substitute an oath or protes-
tation, worded according to the taste of the Catho-
lics, w filth in substance is supposed to be a renun-
ciation of the temporal power of the See of Rome in
this-country. Upon this new qualification the Ca-
tho'ies are to be equalized with the members of
the Established Church, in admissibility to the le-
gislative, as well. as to every civil, military, and
execothe function whatever. You are also well
aware that at present the two barriers, and the only
two, whk h , by local Statutes of the University,
stand in the way of Catholics, are the same oath
of abjuration, .and the subscription to the Thirty-
Nine Articles. Now I will ask any man, whether
he can possibly believe that these religious tests
and qualifications can be kept on foot in the
University, when the very same, and all others of a
similar import, have been soppressed and abolished
in every department of the State ? Will Lord GREN-
VILLE allow the Catholics to be pricked and teazed
by these briars and thorns at Oxford which he has
cut up root and breech in teary other part of the
King's dominions ? Do you really think, that after
hip Lordship has taken down the doors of all the
Courts ( I Just ice, of the Horse Guards, the Admi-
ralty, the Parliatnetit Huuse, the Council Chamber,
and the Onset of the Sovereign, for the intro-
duetion of Papists, that the University alone will
be indalged with their exclusion ? . When this pnb-
Ife Equal:z•aion Law has passed, your College gates
will tremble from their r'osty, crazy hinges with a
sin_ le kick. The Ca!laolics will not take the trouble
. of icksag the lock, though in the Reign of JAMES
IL they were not inexeert at that work, as we- recol-
, leo, tin get possession of the cloysters at falaasialeu
C ',lege. I assert it then to he a consequence directly
aed necessarily flowing from Lord GRENVILLE'S
,erlualiziog principle, that Catholic Layreee will
obtain a right of matriculation in tee Univer-
sity. How can it be refused to them by Lord
GR ENVI LLE, consistently with his own bypothe-
&3? But if it should, will they put up with a
refusal ? No, they will read to his Lordship his
own piutest, and possibly they may throw it in his
face, a$ r voucher to prove that whatever they
demand they must have. If the public law is
tacritrced to their wishes, will the private law remain