Untitled - Electric Scotland

1849-53] COMMISSIONERS NOMINATED 159
but the question was debated at full length in the House
of Commons, where Mr. Gladstone, in a long and vehe
ment speech, appealed to the Government not thus
"to fall back upon arbitrary and undefined prerogative, and,
regardless of the interests you are sacrificing or the rights you are
invading, to resort to an intermeddling and inquisitorial power
which is
l
neither supported by history nor law."
In the final division, which was taken on a question of
adjournment, the Government were in a majority of 22,
and the names of the Commissioners were soon afterwards
announced. The Oxford Commissioners were as follows :
Dr. Hinds, Bishop of Norwich ; Dean
Dr. Jeune, Master of Pembroke ;
Head-master of Westminster ;
Tait of Carlisle ;
2 The Rev. H. G. Liddell,
3 Professor Baden-Powell,
Mr. John Lucius Dampier, and the Rev. G. H. S. Johnson.*
The Secretary of the Commission was the Rev. Arthur
P, Stanley, afterwards Dean of Westminster, and the
Assistant Secretary was Mr. Goldwin Smith.
These gentlemen were appointed a Commission "for
inquiring into the State, Discipline, Studies, and Revenues
of the University of Oxford, and of all and singular the
Colleges in the said University."
Diary.
"June 8, 1850. Yesterday a new means of great useful
ness was opened up to me, and a very solemn responsibility.
Lord, grant me Thy grace to acquit myself as Thy faithful servant.
Make me to labour in all that concerns it with a single eye to
Thy glory. May it be Thy good pleasure to employ
us as instru
ments whereby that great seat of learning to which I owe so much
may be made more to fulfil its high vocation. Strengthen our
hands ; let us labour in love and in the spirit of prayer. And
1
Hansard, July 1 8, 1850, p. 1506.
1
Afterwards Bishop of Peterborough.
u Now Dean of Christ Church.
^4 Afterwards Dean of Wells.