The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-01 00:00:00

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LONDON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 185

We trust that Lord Joliet RUSSELL will, in his
forthcoming Reform Bill, take the opportunity of re-
medying a grevious injustice. Whilst the Uni-
versities of Oxford and Cambridge return each two
Members to Parlietnent, whilst the single College of
Dublin also returns its two Members (an additional
Parliamentary representative having been accorded
to it by the Reform Ac'), the Scotch Universities of
Edinburgh, of Glasgow, of Aberdeen, and of St.
Andrew's, are totally unrepresented. Surely, those
universities which number among their alumni.
such men as Lord Beouonam, Lord JOHN RUSSELL,
and Lord CA311.111.1.1., are as worthy of being repre-
sented in Parliament as are Oxford, or Cambridge,
or Trinity College, Dublin ; and it would be
greatly to the advantage of Yarliatnent itself were
the Scotch Universities to be enabled to speak
authoritatively, through their representatives, in the
same manner as are the English Universities and
Trinity College, Dublin. If during the course of
the debates on the late unfortunate differences in the
Scotch Church the Scotch Universities had been
properly represented in Parliament the unfortunate
schism at presented existing might, p-chaps, have
been prevented. But putting aside all mere theolo-
gical considerations, we contend that, as seats of
learnings, as chartered universities authorised to grant
degrees, the Scotch Universitieaare as fully entitled to
have representatives as are the Universities of Oxford
and of Cambridge. A 3 regards education, there can
be no doubt but that the education afforded to the
students of the Universities of Edinburgh and of
Glasgow is in every respect better caiculated to fit
melt for the proper exercise of the franchise than is
• afforded by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Ir a may search in vain among the professors of
Oxford and Cambridge for a DUGALD STUART Or a
p
AYFAIR, whilst the Scotch Universities have
turnnev aside the themselves by endeavouring to
the attention of their graduates from the
acquisition of useful and sound learning to the study
of the colour of a robe, the pattern of church
upholstery, or the location of nosegays, candles
and candlesticks. Surely, therefore, if the uni-
,
vet.,ities which inculcate the importance of
such trifles are entitled to representatives, much
.• more are the universities which, like those of
Scotland, impart useful learning to the alumni, enti-
tled to he so represented. It was said that Lord
• JOHN RUSSELL was at first inclined to entertain
favourably the proposition of enfranchising what our
continental neighbours term the capabilities—thlt i.,
to
say, men of literature and science and the members of
the learned professions—but that the difficulties in
• the way of carrying out the scheme were so great
that he was reluctantly compelled to give it up. We
regret exo eedingly this determination of his Lordship,
and in—
t-tr,', confess that, to our thinking, there are no
dv;hfatrYitied in the way of carrying out such a scheme
se).,:n.w.,Y not be easily overcome ; at all events, a
v ersimti"es would
for the general enfranchisement of all uni
em a great way towards really en-
franchising the cswahilitiei ;
and we, therefore, submit
for
cousidera..iou ttie toltowing proposition as a first
step towards eecurieg fir, ;It all events, the majority of
educated if en, 41:e light of the it franchise, to which
their edtreetieu -vow ,-,pecielly entitles them.
We would. for the l ot pe:es of the franchise, unite
the , refei.el City Al-ert'.eee to that of Editiluigh, and

the University of Sr. Andrew's to that of Glasgow.

. _
a•,id to each of these united universities we would
give one IllexabLa. We cannot imagine that to this
propoidtion 'any opposition would be made. As re.,
gards the. Uuiverdity of lillinhurah, the fact that the
• PRIME AliNwrfit of Etik land, CRnr JUSTICE of
}lngl3", and the greatest Law Reformer of his age—
the lawyer, the statesman, the philosopher par
excellence, all received their education at that