Oxford, 15th Tune 1852.
Sin—Permit me briefly to meet the objections of "Z." to the Report of the Oxford Commission. I will take them seriatim.
1. "Its statistics are extremely imperfect, if not altogether wanting."— The only statistics wanting are those of the revenues ; and these are not altogether wanting, for an account, practically sufficient, of the revenues of the University is given, as well as the revenues of several Colleges. And the Report (p. 2) states, and as your correspondent will find with perfect truth, that none of the recommendations will be found to depend upon a knowledge of the precise amount of the revenues of the University or the Colleges.' 2. " The Report does not even supply the University statutes, nor those of a single College."—This would indeed be a blot. But the Report (p. 2) states that the Commission have caused to be published the statutes of thirteen Colleges, including all that are of chief importance ; that the present statutes of the University have been published by the University itself ; and that the Commission have caused to be published the earlier statutes. Allow me to ask whether Z. has ever read the second page of the Report, or any part of the Report on the Colleges, in almost every page of which the statutes published by the Commission are quoted ?
3. "The evidence taken by the Commissioners is limited plainly to a class, those who regard the Commission favourably."—See the evidence of Messrs. Freeman, Jelf, and Scott, as instances of evidence actually given under pro- test against the Commission. But let those who say that the Report is one- sided controvert any material statement or position in it, and we shall see whether the objection is really valid.
4. "The unfortunate way in which Lord John Russell launched the in- quiry, shut out necessarily the bulk of those whose views it was most im- portant to ascertain, namely, the authorities and teachers of the University."— The individual opinions of the Heads of Houses are, indeed, for the most part unknown ; but their opinions as the Hebdomadal Board upon some of the most important points were made known in their letter to Lord John Russell, and are discussed in the Report. The " teachers " have given abundant evi- dence. The list of witnesses contains the names of many of the most emi- nent professors and tutors in the University : Dr. Pusey, perhaps, is the most important exception. 5. "The Report avoids the question of admission of Dissenters. This de- fect alone would deprive the Report of its claim to finality."--Certainly, on this point, and on this point alone. The Commissioners deal with the Uni- versity merely as a place of learning and education. What relation national places of learning and education are to bear to the Church and State is a question which neither they nor any other Commission of Inquiry into the University can decide. It 18 a corollary to the general question of Church and State. The Ecclesiastical Commission did not go into the question of an Established Church.
6. "Their (the Commissioners') main recommendations bear on two points, —extension of the University by admitting students unconnected with Colleges or Halls, under what is termed rather vaguely due superintendence ; and an increase of the professoriate as a means of instruction for under-graduates."- Both these recommendations Z. finds by collation to be against the nu- merical preponderance of evidence. Now, first, I am astonished that any man who has read the Report should think that these are the two main re- commendations ; secondly, "due superintendence" is the expression in the summary of recommendations, but the nature of the superintendence pro- posed is distinctly specified in the body of the Report, p. 52; thirdly, the Commissioners were empowered to report their own opinions, and in con- sidering the evidence it was their duty not to count heads but to weigh rea- sons. Moreover, the grounds for every recommendation are submitted in detail to the opinion of the country. 7. "Upon the question of extension the Report is"defective, as presenting no sufficient statistics. We do not see the actual ratio between the fair de- mands for and the means of supply of academical education ; we do not gather from the Report any notion of the numbers at present excluded who ought to be provided for ; nor are we furnished with any even conjectural estimates as to the probable effect of the changes proposed."—It is impossible to give the "statistics" of people who would like to send their sons to the University but are prevented by expense. It is only possible to show how far the expenses may be reduced, and how Colleges which are now emptied by their defects, or which refuse to receive students, may be rendered avail- able for the purposes of education ; and this the Commissioners have done.
8. The next objection is, that we can do nothing upon the Report till the whole education question is settled. But the education question, in its turn, is only a part of still wider questions. Are we to wait for a com- plete theoretic settlement of everything before we remove obvious obstruc- tions or remedy ascertained defects ?
9. Lastly, Z. says that the Commissioners propose to subject the Univer- sities and Colleges to Government control, and to place the supreme visitorial power in the Crown. The visitorial power over the University is already vested in the Crown, according to the best opinions; and the Commission propose no change upon that subject. The statement respecting the Colleges appears to rest on a passage in p. 184 of the Report ; where it is suggested that it might be desirable to require the Colleges annually to report to their Visitors, and the Visitors to transmit that report to the Queen in Council. No chan"e in the visitorship is proposed. The suggestion is followed by the words " But in cases of abuses arising, the Visitor of each College should be empowered to interfere."—The object is to secure, through publicity, the efficient exercise of the visitorial authority by the several Visitors ; and this is magnified into the institution of a Ministry of Instruction and the reduc- tion of the Universities into a Government department ! And now, Sir, let me in my turn protest against having the Report dragged into an electioneering quarrel, and condemned without fair consideration or perusal, because it is supposed, quite untruly, that its framers and friends mean to vote against' a favourite candidate. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Y.
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