Ittttro to Of eltitor.
THE LAST DISGRACE OF OXFORD.
Oxford, 24th February.
Sin—The ruse of the Heads has succeeded, and our University, is forced . by the vote of today into a position antagonistic to the Crown. When the names of the voters have been printed, it will be seen that Convocation has been swamped with non-resident members, and the wishes of those who really constitute Oxford are contemptuously disregarded. Those who wish to save Oxford from reproach, and from the charge of lagging behind every other national institution, have been opposed today by pseudo-Conservatives, anxious to record their votes against Itadicalisni, Germanism, Popery, (re- presented, I suppose by Gladstone! ) anti Infidelity; who were aided by many a disciple of Vr. Pusey and Mr. Marriott, ready to vote any way on any question at the instigation of their teachers. Lord Derby says that the University lost no time in addressing itself to the task of improvement after the issue of the Commission ; the result of which labour he makes out to be the present scheme. This I conceive to be an error : it is well known that the Hebdomadal Board adopted a policy of passive resistance during the years subsequent to the nomination of the Commissioners, and it is only now at the eleventh hour that fear has caused them to relax their obstinacy and address the Queen with such indecorous haste.
It is hard that this oligarchical incubus should have it in its power to throw Oxford into the hands of a political party. Lord Derby will be suffi- ciently punished if our descendants stigmatize bins as the man who resisted the endeavours of a well-meaning Government to make Oxford equal to the
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