HC Deb 28 July 1874 vol 221 cc871-3
MR. BUTT

said, he desired to avail himself of the opportunity of calling attention to the statement made by the Chief Secretary for Ireland in answer to the Question put to him by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Tralee (The O'Donoghue), and of considering a misunderstanding to which it appeared to have given rise. The question of his hon. Friend referred to the Queen's Letter to the University of Dublin, which was laid on the Table of the House on the 1Oth of July, and which unquestionably was of very great importance, inasmuch as it changed the constitution of Trinity College in very essential points, and, if he was correctly informed, it was not at all confined to the carrying out of the Tests Acts. He certainly was under the impression that that Letter would not be issued without a previous discussion by the House upon the subject. On the 23rd of April he asked the Home Secretary— Whether any application has been made by the Board or Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, for a Queen's Letter, altering essentially the Statutes of the College; and, whether before the issue of any Queen's Letter, an opportunity will be given to the Senate of the University, or to this House, of expressing an opinion upon the proposed alterations?"—[3 Hansard, ccxviii. 985.] Next day he read what appeared to be an accurate report of the right hon. Gentleman's speech, in which he was represented as having said that if any such application were made the Government would think it right that the Senate of the University "and" the House of Commons should have an opportunity of expressing an opinion. The Senate were convened, and had a full opportunity of expressing their opinion. He was himself a member of that body, and if he had thought he would not have had an opportunity of discussing the matter in that House he should have made it a point to be present at the discussion in the Senate. The Senate consisted of 200 members, but could scarcely be said to represent the University itself. Assuming that he was right in supposing that a promise had been given that the matter should be discussed in that House he would ask whether it would not be better to postpone the issue of the Queen's Letter until next Session. He had reason to believe that if some slight alterations were made in it all classes and creeds might be brought to assent to the changes proposed in the University.

THE O'DONOGHUE

said, he had a Notice on the Paper praying that Her Majesty would withhold Her assent from the proposed changes in the constitution of the University of Dublin. He had also moved for some Returns as to the changes, if any, made in the Tenure, Duties, and Emoluments, of the Professor of the University of Dublin during the present year, and in the absence of those Returns it would be very difficult for him to proceed. He would therefore fix the Motion which he had on the Paper for Monday next.

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

was sure that had the right hon. Baronet the Chief Secretary known that this question was to be raised he would have been in his place; but in his right hon. Friend's unavoidable absence it was desirable not to enter into the matter at length. With regard to the promise which he (Mr. Cross) was supposed to have given he had been careful to reply in the very terms of the Question. He knew that the hon. and learned Gentleman was too great a master of grammar to use the word "or" when he meant "and," and in answering the Question he stated in the hon. and learned Gentleman's own language that an opportunity would be given to the Senate "or "to that House to express an opinion on the Queen's Letter. Like other hon. Members he had an opportunity of consulting the usual sources of information, and he there saw that the Answer he was reported to have given was not in the same form as that in which it appeared on the Notice Paper. He asked some of his Colleagues whether it was necessary to correct the report, and they were of opinion that, under the circumstances, it was not. He said this without wishing to cast any reflection on those reports, which were usually—he might say almost invariably—so correct.