Page:A Catalogue of Graduates who have Proceeded to Degrees in the University of Dublin, vol. 1.djvu/61

 INTRODUCTION. Iv made and subscribed, he would exercise the authority of his station, by suspending the Commencement, an act which he was able to perform by merely refusing his consent to each degree. The Act of Parliament was ex- press and unequivocal, and the Vice-Chancellor could not refuse to acknow- ledge the authority of the Senior Non-Regent, because itwas clearly established by the same supposed Statutes under which he was then holding the Com- mencement.' The opposition of the Senior Non-Regent was therefore suc- cessful ; the declaration was then withdrawn, and at the ensuing Commence- ment the oath of abjuration was adopted, agreeably to the Act of Parliament, in the place of one of those which had been previously administered." Dr. Miller does not tell us who the Senior Master Non- Regent on this occasion was. But it is very well known in the University that this strong-minded Master, who believed himself to be "a fiction," and yet compelled the Vice-Chancellor to succumb to his threatened veto, was no other than Dr. Miller himself. It will be unnecessary to give any account here of the present state of the laws of the University upon the subjects we have been discussing ; almost all the questions, formerly at issue, are now set at rest by the Charters of Queen Victoria. The Senate,'' although not the University, are now a corporation. The Provost and Senior Fellows, with the consent of the Senate, can now alter, repeal, add to, and enact University Statutes. There is ' It maybe added that the Let- coequalauthority. TheUniversitySta- ters Patent (34Geo.III.), distinctly tutes are cited by their ordinary title: — admit the validity of the Statutes "Statuta,Regul8eseuConsuetudines;" that Dr. Miller delights to call '■^sup- so there can be no doubt what Sta- posed Statutes." The King's words tutes are meant. They are therefore are: — "Quaedam in Statutis Colle- either sanctioned by the Crown, or gii, et in Statutis Academiae Dubli- they are not. If they are, why does niensis ita immutare .... prsestitis Dr. Miller call them supposed Sta- prius omnibus exercitiis per leges et tutes ? If they are only supposed consuetudines Academiae requisitis, Statutes, why was it necessary to call aliquo statuto dicti CoUegii, aut Statu- in the Royal authority to repeal them ? to,Regula, autConsuetudinequacum- •> That is the Vice-Chancellor, que dictae Academiae, in contrarium Doctors, and Masters. The Provost non obstante." Here the " supposed " and Senior Fellows, being all Doctors University Statutes are recognized or Masters, are of course included, along with the College Statutes as of