f old heads and of
young tutors. Then too there is a very reasonable presumption in the
human mind, and specially in the English mind, against taking away the
rights of any class of men without some very good reason. And in this
case there are at least as strong arguments against the restriction as
there are for it. I speak only of the simple proposal to confine the
election to residents, in Oxford language to transfer it from
Convocation to Congregation. There are indeed other plans, to let
Convocation elect one member and Congregation the other--something like
the election of the consuls at an early stage of the Roman
commonwealth--or to leave the present members as they are, and to give
the Universities yet more members to be chosen by Congregation. Now I
will not say that these schemes lie without the range of practical
politics, because they show no sign of being ever likely to come within
it. They may safely be referred to Mr. Thomas Hare.

While therefore I see as strongly as any man the evils of election by
Convocation, as Convocation is at present constituted,[2] I cannot think
that restriction to Congregation or to residents in any shape is the
right remedy for the evil. I venture to think that there is a more
excellent way. The remedy that I propose has this advantage, that,
though it would practically lessen the numbers of the constituency, and
would, gradually at least, get rid of its most incompetent elements, it
would not be, in any constitutional sense, a restrictive measure. It
would not deprive any recognized class of men of any right. And it would
have the further advantage that it would be a change which could be made
by the University itself, a change which would not be a mere political
change affecting parliamentary elections only, but a real academical
reform affecting other matters as well, a reform which would be simply
getting rid of a modern abuse and falling back on an older and better
state of things. It is one of three changes which I have looked for all
my life, but towards which, amidst countless academical revolutions, I
have never seen the least step taken. I confess that all three have this
to be said against them, that they would affect college interests and
would give the resident body a good deal of trouble. But this is no
argument against the measures themselves; it only shows that it would be
hard work to get them passed. Of these three the first and least
important is the establi