A very unworthy statement has been put forth on the
part• of Mr. Raikes, namely, that he was opposed to the Public Worship Regulation Act, though his position as Chairman of Committees prevented him from voting against it. It turns out, however, as a correspondent of the Guardian has pointed out, that Mr. Raikes actually supported the second reading of the Act, in a speech in which he only regretted that the'Bill did not go further. According to Blackstone, the franchise was • originally bestowed on the Universities of Oxford and Cam- bridge in order that they might each send two Members to the House of Commons, " to protect in the Legislature the rights of the republic of letters." It follows that if the
Parliamentary representatives of the Universities are to be of the type of Mr. Raikes, the Universities have morally for- feited their rights to have any representatives at all. This is an additional reason why all true friends of the Universities, no matter what their political colours, should make a vigorous effort to return Professor Stuart.
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