Year: 1868

"~SH tSeSiscu hciC WIN Stcdb anu Jou
viii see from the London papers that the motives
Importance and characteristics OF the trial have
been much better understood in England than was
to have been expected For the first time the Lon
don Times has intelligent and impartial American
correspondent and his letters extensively repub
llshed, have done much to inform the English public
In regard to the impeachment business. What
especially astOnshes the English is the total lack OF
violence and excitement among the masses OF the
American people over such an issue as the deposit
ton OF the President and the quiet manner in which
both parties prepared to accept as final the decision
OF the High Court. We ought to know now sOme-
thing of the American public feeling in regard to the
result OF the trial. but the Atlantic cable Is OF use
whatever far as bringing news to England is
cerned. Why, II the Queen had been impeached in
stead Of the President what columns OF telegraphic
reports would have been sent to the New YORK
HERALD while now the leading journal OF Great Bri-
tain can only afford to give the public cable de-
spatch once or twice week Of about ten words.
Religious Tests in the Universities-Earl Rus


sell on Disreaips POsitiOn-The Coronation


Oath-Parlamentary Manners-FemaIe Suf.


fraxe-Trado Reports.


In the House of Lords, on the goth OF May the Ear
OF KIMBERLEY rose to present petitions fron resi-
dent and nonresident members of the University OF
oxford, praying for the removal OF religious tests in
the University. The noble Earl said the petitions
were most innuentially signed. The value of such
petitions consisted In the ground taken, viz: that it
would be for the benefit OF the whole nation were
such tests removed. In both universities persons
not members OF the Established Church were ex-
cuded from all share in the governing bodies. A
great advance had already been made In admitting
NoncOnfOrmiSts to the educational benefits OF the
universities and he believed that they might now go
to the whole extent for he thought to stop short OF
that point after what had been done was anomalous
What he advocated was this-that all Parliamentary
barriers be removed from the free action OF colleges
The noble Earl asked whether 1t was wise that
large body OF the middle classes who were NOncOn
formists should be excluded from the highest educa
tional advantages the universities oeredp Could il
be cOntended that the education of church members
should be interfered with by the presence of non
churchmen. The real religious instruction given
inf Hnif
England supported and strengthened by policy OF
exclusionS The universities were national institu
tiOns, and ought therefore to be thrown Open.


Lord HOUGHToN enforced the necessity OF some
legislation being adopted in this matter Of religious
tests.


The Earl of CARNARvoN said the question was one
which always appeared to him in o very serious
aspect. The noble Earl deprecated the spirit which
University as the tendency was to give the contro
versy wider form. Now there was an agitation for
the removal OF religious tests altogether. He doubted
whether the country was ripe for so great change
as this and when the people became fully aware OF
its full extent he felt confident they would oppose
ncial effects had already been felt from previous
changes but he, on the contrary, had heard the pre-
sent race or undergraduates described Sceptica
one The removal OF religious tests would carry the
Dissenters very much further than they at present
imagined, and 1t for them to say whether these
religious tests should be entirely abolished, or
whether they would still support those tests with
which they had frequently acknowledged they had
so much In common (Cheers.)





University Of Cambridge, wished to say that there
mOval OF disabilities.


The Bishop OF ELY referred to several petitions.
numerously signed by members Of the University OF
Cambridge, against the proposed changes, and ap-
institutions created by members OF the Church Of
England to the control OF NOnconfOrmists or posi-
bly, OF Roman Catholics


lton OF the tests-a which would confer the
highest advantage on future generations.


The Bishop OF LONDON said the noble Duke told
them there was one advantage in the measure to
which allusOn had been made-namely, that each
college was TO be allowed to regulate for itself; but,
II there was any right In the matter, why should 1t
not be regulated by Parliament itseff Speaking for
himself he must say In his time. which was now
some years ago. great deal Of religious instruction
was given in the college One-third, at least, of his
time as tutor was taken up in giving instruction on
religious subjects.


The conversation then dropped.


In the House on Lords, the same evening, Earl Rus
SELL rose to call attention to the state of public az
upon the vote OF the House Of Commons respecting
the Irish Church, declared that 1t extraordinary
ana snprecedented that Minister being in the mi
nOrity In the House Of Commons, should remain In
power for six months after advising the Crown to
dissolve Parliament. He admitted that the course
pursued was convenient to the government and to
the members OF the House Of Commons, but ne i'm
puted to the government desire to prOtract the
form discussions, which had needlessly prolonged
the present session. He sought from the govern
ment an assurance that measures would be taken to
expedite the registration ana urged more rapid pro-





the Boundary bill 1t was also desirable he urged that
the government should its appeal to the country
declare what were the principles upon which 1t re-
lied Tor public approval specially referring to the
questions OF education and the state OF Ireland, upon
which definite policy had yet been propounded.
quoting the HIDE Park riots and The Manchester
rescue as evidences OF the inability or the 0ouera,-
nlent to preserve peace and maintain order, Lord
Russell reverted to the adverse majority Of the
House or Commons, and asked whether the govern
ment admitted as constitutional principle that 1t
was wrong to hold oiiice without possessing the
confidence OF the House Of Commons.


The Earl Of MALMEsBURY admitted the constitu-
tiOna principle, but denied that 1t was proved the
present government did not possess the confidence
OF the House OF Commons merely because 1t was not
supported upon one question by majority. The
test OF motion OF want OF confidence had not been
applied and therefore 1t was reasonable to assume
that for the conduct OF the general business Of the
country the government did possess the conf
dence Of Parliament He attributed the backward
sary introduction OF the question OF the Irish Church.
to the destruction Of which he declared himself q
determined opponent and concluded by stating that
their opponents. The noble earl concluded by say.
ing-I the noble earl has not patience to wait until
with fairness to the electors, only entreat him
to move In this House, and ask his friends In the
10 81 OF


The motion for adjournment was agreed to.


In the House OF Commons, Sir G. ULOghlen, In
moving for copy Of the declaration against tran
substantiation taken by the sovereign, complained
that his motives had been msrepresented for political
purposes Qnd tnat a ne desired In seeking TO amend
the prOmiss0ry 0aths was, not to do away with the
Professionalism OF the crown, but to remove decara-
ton from the statute book which was offensive to the
feelings Of several millions Of British subjects and OF
more than half the majority Of the population OF
Christendom.


The London Saturday ReuteU observes that II, as
Is highly probable, President Johnson has learned
nothing by experience he Will repair the defeat In.
nicted on his opponents by committing some act 0l
imprudence. In the remaining nine months of his
tenure OF once he may however still prove that the
Senate was politically as well as judically, In the
right II his troubled Presidency ends calmly there
will be general consent OF opinion that the failure
OF prosecution was conducive TO the public interest
on the other hand, fresh collisions with Congress
although they would not really dsprove the justice
Of the acquittal, would be regarded as arguments
against the expediency OF the decision. Whatever
may be the course Of the President 'the failure o
the impeachment can scarcely fail to be beneficial
a precedent"


The London Imperial Rerte,r says the acquittal o
President Johnson, in spite OF the Overwhelming
preponderance OF the party opposed 10 him and the
ferocious clamor OF the multitude accustomed To
enforce their will as law, to reveal latent
virtue In that body more consonant with its past
traditions than with its more recent courses.


49,