29 APRIL 1854, Page 2

teluitto null liSrntrtilingo in Varlintntut.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEER.

• HOusw or Loans. Thursday, April 27. British troops at Gallipoli; Lord Ellen- tiorough's Question.

Friday, April 28. No business of importance.

Hams or COMMONS. Thursday, April 27. Oxford University; Lord John Rus- sell's Bill committed, after debate—Poor Removal ; Select Committee ordered. Friday, April 28. Troops at Gallipoli; Questions by Sir J. Walsh and Mr. Digby Seymour—The Black Sea Fleet; Questions by Lord D. Stuart—Greek Insurrection ; Questions by Mr. Cobden—Sir H. Seymour's Property at St. Petersburg; Question by Mr. M. Gibson—Days of Public Solemnity ; Mr. Walpole's Question—Militia ; Lord J. Russell's and Mr. S. Herbert's Announcements.

TIME- TABLE. The Commons.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

4h ... ilk 15m 4h .... 8h 30rn

Sittings thia Week. 2; Time, lh 45mthis Session. 43; — 94b 20m

Unrvinisrrr REFORM.

On the order of the day being read for going into Committee on the Oxford University Bill, Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER; in the absence of Sir W. Heatheote, moved that the Committee be empowered to provide for the case of Winchester College in connexion with New College. Mr. GLAD- filoNE did not object to the motion, and it was agreed to.

When the question was put, Mr. HEYWOOD moved, as an amendment, that the bill be referred to a Select Committee. He argued that the de- tails of the measure could not be conveniently discussed in a Committee of the whole House; and that the result of the labours of a Select Com- mittee would be an improved bill next year. With reference to the merits of the bill, he thought the proposed Hebdomadal Council, the con- stituents of which would be in great part clergymen and tutors, would lead to the discussion of theological subjects; that the bill did not give private tutors a chance of getting either headships or College tutorships ; and he contended that fellows should be allowed to marry or not, as it pleased their fancy. They should not be called upon to say that they are moved by the Holy Ghost to enter into holy orders, when they are really actuated by a desire to obtain their fellowships. The amendment was supported by Mr. NEWDEGATE ; though he dif- fered entirely from Mr. Heywood and from the bill : he insisted that the University is a corporation, and that its freedom of action ought not to be crippled by the bill_ Mr. EWART led the discussion into another channel : he would vote for the amendment, because it would open the door for the consideration of the case of Dissenters.

Mr. Hommel* was placed in a difficult position by the amendment. Admitting that Government had taken up the subject at the right time and in the right spirit, and desirous of strengthening their hands, he yet felt that the subject had been imperfectly discussed and was imperfectly understood. In a long and elaborate speech, he called the attention of the House to complaints of the resident members of the University who ask for reform; and described the tutorial system as one unfavourable alike to qftsiltor and the mature professor—" the bane of the

5e.•passed an examination of a high order is obliged, ;. to enter holy orders, and to subscribe a number he cannot observe. When he becomes a tutor, on rapidly goes on. It is not to his ad- knowledge ; and thus the University is left Learned works in floods must be imported

phy, history, and divinity—studies we call Thursday Friday The Lords.

Hour of Hour of

Meeting. Adjournment.

6h . 20m Sh . 5h 25m Thursday Friday

Sittings this Week, 2; Time. 1111 4bm — this Session. 53; — 329h 59m our own—we permit the Germans to surpass us; while at the same time it is objected that every system of reform has a tendency to Germanize the Universities. In classical studies also the Germans surpass us. Dr. Thirl- wall, Dr. Peacock*, and Dr. Pusey, have testified that the least time and attention of our student, are given to theology. In theology even the Ame- ricana are before us. Oxford has produced nothing to compete with these Heads of Genuanisai, which differ so much from the common view of Chris- tianity, all of them abandoning revelation. And if those who dwell upon the danger are sincere, they must know that it can only be met by a change of system.

Turning to the bill, Mr. Horsman contended that its provisions do not carry out its principle ; that they would not promote learning and religion;

that they would not produce learned tutors, nor make the lectures of pro- fessors well attended, nor remedy the defects of an absence of classical learning and theological teaching. He held that the tutorial element would vitiate the Hebdomadal Council; and urged the House to devise means for placing the professorial and tutorial systems in harmony. He drew an alarming picture of the impending downfall of Christianity in other countries; and asked where should we look but to the Universities in this country, her last refuge, for champions to drive back the flood of in- fidelity ? Mr. GLADSTONE; although disposed to go some way with Mr. Busman in his lamentations over the deficient theological learning of the English Universities, thought the tone of his speech exaggerated. Christianity is not yet about to be exiled from Europe and to come a suppliant to our shores. Neither are we deficient in eminent divines ; and if learned works are not produced, that must be ascribed to the practical genius of the nation, which rather hurries into active life. Mr. Gladstone con- tended that the bill does provide a remedy for the defects pointed out by Mr. Horsman: endowments are to be the prizes of merit; the professorial system is to be improved; and fellowships are to be held on condition of active duty. With respect to the amendment, did not Mr. Heywood see, at least since he had obtained the support of Mr. Newdegate, that its effect would be to get rid of the measure? Now if the bill was to be rejected, that should be done in an intelligible manner, by a division upon its merits, and not by a chance combination. With respect to the admission of Dissenters, Mr. Gladstone purposely abstained from expressing any opinion; it would not be fair to mix the consideration of the question with that of the bill.

" On this subject of the admission of Dissenters to the Universities, I say, without prejudging what the view of the University of Oxford will be, that it never has had the opportunity of considering that question. It never has had the means, it never has had the organs through which to consider that question—to look into the question, and see how far it is possible without departing from the essential principle of their body to meet the reasonable and natural wish of Dissenters to avail themselves of these institutions. We ask you now to pass this bill, which will give to Oxford a representative go- vernment, that will enable them to consider that important subject, and thereby advance the question to that point that will lead to its final solu- tion."

Mr. HADFIELD said, the bill was nothing to him, or to those who are excluded from the Universities. Ministers were dvided; and they had come to a compromise which excluded Dissenters. Lord Tour RUSSELL lectured Mr. Hadfield on the illiberality of the views he expressed ; denied that Ministers are divided ; and declared himself in favour of admitting Dissenters. If the bill were passed, that question would stand on better ground; as by the establishment of pri- vate halls the admission of Dissenters might be facilitated. Mr. Hamar repeated, that there must have been a compromise, as Lord John had shown that the bill would facilitate the admission of Dissenters. Mr, Mrs's, retorted upon Lord John the lecture he had given to Mr. Had- field; adding, that Dissenters could not without some feelings of regret at their own exclusion listen to the glowing and affectionate encomiums bestowed on his Alma Mater by every member of the University who had spoken.

Here Mr. DISRAELI took up the debate, and imparted to it a party hue. The amendment, he said, was not an irrational one. Lord John Russell did not agree with Mr. Gladstone about the admission of Dis- senters. The bill would suffer no useless procrastination by being re- ferred to a Select Committee ; and if it were postponed, surely that post- ponement was not an argument on which the Government could rest, for have we not seen the postponement of measures of reform of greater im- portance than this ? His objection to the bill was not that it " attempted to reconstruct an an- cient institution," but that "it strikes a fatal blow at the self-government, the freedom, and the independence of the University." It not only establishes a new constitution, but enters into minute details. He predicted that the bill, if carried, would disappoint every one in its effects, neither creating a professorial system like that in Germany, nor extending the University by private halls to the extent imagined. The provisions of the bill relating to property are "an appropriation-clause." Admitting that the bill would be ineffective, even in that respect would not the real Reformers make its failure a fatal precedent for a stronger measure ? Mr. Disraeli digressed in a laboured attempt to show that of late years the Legislature, and not the people, evinced a morbid desire to effect changes in the institutions of the country; citing as instances the Whig appropriation- clause, Parliamentary Reform in all shapes,—all defeated, not by the House of Commons, but by the good sense of the people. " The unhallowed hand is now upon the ark of the Universities," and still the plea is that anomalies and imperfections require removal. Repeating his old doctrine that England is governed by "traditional influences," and again jeeringly citing the post- ponement of Parliamentary Reform as proof that delay is not very fatal, he ended with a laboured peroration replying to Mr. Horsman's appeal in behalf of Christianity, to show that in spite of German professors, what happened in France will happen in Germany, and that the cause of truth is upheld by an influence more powerful than University Reform.

Mr. BRIGHT continued the debate ; taking up the point of the exclusion of Dissenters ; reiterating the charge that the bill is the result of "a com- promise " ; deprecating the mixture of the clerical element in education ; and expressing his intention to vote for the amendment, as, if the bill were postponed till next year, Government would find it expedient to ren- der it more acceptable to the Dissenters. The other speakers were Mr. VERNON Siam and Mr. W. J. Fox, for going into Committee ; and Mr. BLACREIT for the amendment. Pressed to a division, the amendment was negatived, by 172 to 90. Mr. HENLEY moved that the Committee be postponed for a week ; on the ground that the bill, altered in fifty places, had only been in the hands of Members since the morning. Mr. GLADSTONE explained, that the alterations did not touch the vital principle of the bill : he could not ac- count for the delay in circulating copies. After an appeal from Sir Tons

PAKINGTON, Mr. Domani.; and others, to which Lord dome Rossutt would not listen, the House divided on the main question ; and resolved to go into Committee, by 160 to 101.

In Committee, Mr. Wer.rout put in another appeal for postponement- s few days. But Lord Joax RUSSELL would not consent to defer the Committee later than Monday ; on which day the bill was ordered to be recommitted.

BRITISH TROOPS AT GALLIPOLL

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH quoted extracts from the Times newspaper in reference to the troops landed at Gallipoli,—representing that the Consul had not prepared for the reception of the force; that the troops had to be landed in shore boats ; that the sick had no mattresses or blankets, no medical comforts ; and that the hospital-sergeant sent out with a sovereign to buy sugar and coffee could not get any, as there was no change to be had ! Lord Ellenborough asked who was responsible for these things. The Duke of NEWCASTLE threw general discredit on the statement from which the extracts were made, and asserted that some particulars were false. The statement respecting the total want of medical comforts was so monstrous that he could not believe it. There was a store of hos- pital tents at Malta, and he had sent some from England ; and, no doubt, they had been sent on to Gallipoli. It was incredible that the steamers would have been sent on without a supply of boats. Mr. Calvert, our Consul, far from being ignorant of the approaching arrival of the troops, had three weeks ago sent a report home showing in detail the whole pro- vision made for them. The Turkish Government readily gave up the buildings required. More than this, Mr. Assistant-Commissary Smith had proceeded to the Dardanelles and signed contracts for the supply of the troops nine days before they arrived. The Duke of Newcastle thought our preparations would stand a comparison with those of the French, said to be so superior. With respect to the quarters, the Eng- lish troops were perfectly satisfied with the Greek quarter assigned to them. The utmost harmony had existed between the French and Eng- lish commissaries.

Lord ELLENB0R0UGH declared the reply satisfactory. But the Earl of HARDWICK& expressed doubts : Lord Clarendon stated, before the recess, that no ships had left Sebastopol ; whereas the Russians had sailed to the coast of Circassia, destroyed forts and embarked garrisons. Upon this Lord CLA.RENDoN explained what he had said—that the Russian fleet had not carried large bodies of troops to Varna, Odessa, or SebastopoL That was correct. The forts on the Circassian coast were destroyed by packet steamers; the transaction took place before the declaration of war; and all our steamers could do was to order such as they met back into port. Lord GLANRICARDE here repeated the substance of the Russian de- spatch on the subject, and asked for the British despatches. Lord CLA- RENDoN assented to their production.

Peon REMOVAL.

On the motion of Lord Joist RUSSELL, it was ordered that a Select Com- mittee be appointed to inquire into the operation of the law 8th and 9th of Victoria, c. 117, relating to the removal- from England of chargeable poor persons born in Scotland, Ireland, the Isles of Man, Scilly, Jersey, or Guernsey ; and also into the operation of the law 8th and 9th of Vic- toria, c. 83, relating to the removal from Scotland of chargeable poor per- sons born in England, Ireland, or the Isle of Man.