HC Deb 26 May 1825 vol 13 cc840-1
Mr. Brougham

moved for leave to bring in a bill to incorporate a college in or near the city of London. The object of this university was, to bring the advantage of education within the reach of those who could not afford to send their children to the universities of Oxford or Cambridge, for the benefit of improvement. Be assured the House that it was not the intention of the promoters of this bill to throw the slightest imputation on the conduct, the acquirements, the capacity, the talents, or the principles of those who devoted their time to the instruction of youth in those two learned establishment. That was so far from being the case, that many of the promoters of this bill were distinguished ornaments of the two universities. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill "to incorporate certain persons for the establishment of a college in or near to the city of London."

Mr. Secretary Peel

acquiesced in the motion, but said that in so doing he reserved the declaration of his opinion until a future stage of the bill. As he understood that no discussion of its merits was to take place now, he merely rose to guard against the possibility of his being supposed to favour the bill because he had not opposed it in its present stage.

Mr. Brougham

allowed that the right hon. Secretary had a right to guard himself from misconstruction in the manner which he had just adopted. He should, however, be suprised if any opposition were made to a bill, of which the sole object was to render education come-at-able by the middling classes of society, without paying 250l. or 300l. a-year for each of their children at one of the universities. He wished to give the middling classes an opportunity of getting that education at a cheaper rate for their children, which their servants, their shoemakers, their farriers, and their blacksmiths were now getting almost for nothing at the different institutions which had recently been erected for their benefit and instruction.

Mr. Peel

said, that all he had intended to do by his remarks, was to reserve the declaration of his opinion until the details of the bill were fairly before the House.

Leave was given to bring in the bill.