§ The Earl of Durhampresented a petition from certain Protestant Dissenters, meeting at Frome, in Somersetshire, praying that the grievances under which they now laboured might be removed with all convenient speed. There was one point in this petition to which he wished to call the particular attention of his noble and learned friend, because it related to an institution with the formation of which his noble and learned friend was intimately connected, and in the prosperity of which he must take a deep interest. The petitioners complained that they were excluded, under the present system, from the public schools, and from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford; and at the London University, the only one to which they had free access, they could not obtain degrees, because that body was without a charter. If there was one part of the life of his noble and learned friend which more than any other was the admiration of his fellow countrymen, it was that which had been devoted to the cause of public education. He was sure, therefore, that there must be some cause which the noble and learned Lord's influence could not prevent, which disabled the Government from granting this Charter. He called the noble and learned Lord's attention to the circumstance, as he believed it was the first time that it had been referred to in a petition.
The Lord Chancellorsaid, that his noble friend did not do him more than 1036 justice in supposing that there was no person more anxious than he for the prosperity of an institution in which he had taken a humble, but certainly an early and a zealous interest. That difficulties had arisen in granting the Charter there could be no doubt. It was perfectly well known that the other Universities—the ancient Universities—had entered a protest against granting a Charter to this new body. The consequence of this protest, in the nature of a caveat, was, that before the Charter could be granted, it was necessary that the parties should be heard before the Privy Council. If no objection should there be made, if those already made should be recalled, or if no means were taken to press them, the Charter might be granted; but if the objections were persevered in, the matter would take the accustomed course, and be heard in the place to which he had alluded. He was glad that his noble friend had given him the opportunity of stating this, which he thought he was at liberty to do without impropriety. He was the more glad of it, because he had been told that the most unaccountable reports had got abroad, that he had relaxed in his desire to obtain a charter for the London University. There never was a report more entirely groundless, although, groundless as it was, it was not falser than others.
§ The Earl of Durhamexpressed his hope, that the objections alluded to by the noble and learned Lord would be removed, or that, in spite of them, that favour would be granted which the spirit of the times and the wishes of the noble and learned Lord seemed equally to favour.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.