The Sun.
London, England, 1834-03-22 00:00:00

had been proposed now it would nut have been adopted.
This restriction bad been adopted, probably, in come.-
quence of that negative power possessed by the pa-
' trons, who would have it in their power to protect
any degrees given. This practice continued from
the year 1641 to the Restoration, when, by a letter
of Charles the Second it was reviewed, and in the year
1772, some alteration was made, by which, in receiving
the degree of Bachelor of Arts, it was rendered unneces•
sary to subscribe to the three articles in the thirty-
sixth Girton, and it being shown that the applicants
for the degree were bona fide members of the Church of
England. The operation of this was to exclude from the
Universities all persons who, not being of the Church
of England, could consistently subscribe the three articles
of the 36th Canon, and it was chiefly for the removal
of that grievance that the petition prayed. In granting
the prayer of the petition, he (Earl Grey) did not
think any danger wou!d, he worked to the established
church ; on the contrary, he thought that great
benefits would be derived by the admission of persons
of character, wealth, and talent in the country, differing
from the established religion, to the fruits of a learned
education, when they arrived at that period when it
would be natural for them to apply for those distinctions.
Nothing could be further from his wish or in-
tention than for their lordships to consent to this
petition, so as to make it the means of increasing
the members of the established church—(Heat,
hear)—hut he would prove to their lordships, by
stating the names of men of considerable eminence,
that persons who bad gone to Cambridge as
Dissenters, and who had received their education
there, had conformed to the established church,
were now members of it, and were not the
least distinguished by their zeal and piety.
In the University of Dublin, in 1798, Catholics were
first admitted to take degrees. The granting of this
privilege was not objected to by any one but Dr.
Duigenan, a man celebrated in the annals of religious
disputation. So far from weakening the established church,
it had rather a contrary effect, bringing many over to it
who were not before members of it. He was a strenuous
supporter of the object of this petition on all the grounds
he hal stated, and his conscientious belief was, that many
who dissented from the church, condemned the violent
proceedings exhibited in some quarters ; and that they
took up the question not merely as dissenters, but as
members of the community, desiring equal privileges with
their fellow subjects. Ia conclusion, he would only say 1
that the names he had mentioned were a sufficient se.
corky that they would make no proposition injurious to
the welfare of the Church.—(Hear.) As a friend
to general liberty and to the church he trusted the peti-
tion would be well received.
The Petition of which the following is a copy was then
read :—.

" To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Tem-
poral in Parliament assembled :

" The humble Petition of the undersigned, resident Members
of the Senate of the University of Cambridge, showeth—That
your Petitioners are honestly attached to the doctrines and dis-
cipline of the Church of England as by law established, and are
well persuaded of the benefits it hath conferred, and is con-
ferring, upon the kingdom at large. They beg leave also to
declare their sincere attachment to the University of Cam-
bridge, grounded upon its connection with the established re-
ligion of the country, and upon a conviction of the wholesome
effect it bath produced on the learning, piety, and character of
the nation. Strongly impressed with this conviction, they
would humbly submit to your Right Honourable House their
belief, as Protestant Christians, that no system of civil or eccle-
siastical polity was ever so devised by the wisdom of man as
not to require from time to time some modification, from the
change of external circumstances or the progress of opinion.
" In conformity with these sentiments, they would further
suggest to your Right Hon. House that no Corporate Body
like the University of Cambridge can exist in a free country
in honour or in safety, unless its benefits be communicated to
all classes as widely as may be compatible with the Christian
principles of its foundation.

" Among the changes which they think might be at once
adopted with advantage and safety, they would suggest to your
Right Hon. House the expediency of abrogating, by legislative
enactment, every religious test exacted from members of the
University before they proceed to degrees, whether of Bachelor,
Master, or Doctor, in Arts, Law, and Physic.

" In praying for the abolition of these restrictions, they re-
joice in being able to assure your Right Hon. House that they
are only asking for a restitution of their ancient academic laws
and laudable customs. These restrictions were imposed on the
University in the reign of James the First, most of them in a
manner informal and unprecedented, and grievously against the
wishes of many of the then members of the Senate, during times
of bitter party animosities, and during the prevalence of dog-
mas both in Church and State which are at variance with the
present spirit of the English law, and with the true principles
of Christian Toleration.

" Your petitioners conscientiously believe that if the prayer
of this petition be granted, the great advantage of good acade-
mic education might be extended to many excellent men, who
are now, for conscience' sake, debarred from a full participation
in them, though true friends to the institutions of the country.
And your petitioners are convinced that this is the best way
at once to promote the public good, and to strengthen the
foundations of the civil and ecclesiastical establishments of this
realm.

" The University is a body recognised by the law of Eng.
land as a Lay Corporation, invested with important civil pri-
vileges, and on that account resting on no secure foundation
which is not in harmony with the social system of the state.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly beg leave to suggest that as
the legislative bodies of the United Kingdom have repealed the
Test Act, and admitted Christians of all denominations to seats
in parliament and to places of dignity and honour, they think

it both impolitic and unjust that any religious test should
be exacted in the University previously to conferring the civil
advantages implied in the degrees above enumerated.
" Lastly, your petitioners disclaim all intention of hereby in-
terfering directly or indirectly with the private statutes and
regulations of individual colleges—founded, as the colleges
are, on specific benefactions, and governed by peculiar laws,
of which the respective heads and fellows are the legal and na..
tural guardians.

" To the several clauses of this petition the consideration of
your Right Hon. House is humblybut earnestly entreated ; and
your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c."