Star.
London, England, 1821-10-04 00:00:00

SAFE-COACHES.

A case of some importance to the patenteesl
and proprietors of the new safe coaches was decided
on Saturday last by the Magistrates for the Deptford
Division, Kent, of which the following is a brief ac-
count :—An information had been laid against the
driver of a Chatham safe coat, charging him with
carrying two grown persons on the coach-box,besides
himself, contrary to the Statute, and on Saturday
the proprietors attended to answer the information.
—lt was contended, on the part of the proprietors,
that the Statute of the 50th Geo. 111. cap.4B. did not
extend to coaches of this description when it enacted
that no more than one person should sit on the box
with the coachman, because this was a patent safe
coach of a new description, having no coach-box,
but merely a front seat (usually in other coaches
as well as this) attached to the front of the roof, and
being 16 inches wider than the box of any coach ;
whereas a box extends only two-thirds of the width
of the coach, and is not in any manner attached or
affixed to the roof. Now this coach, by authority
of this Statute, can legally carry three persons on
this front seat; and the proprietors, for the greater
safety of the passengers, have built this coach with-
out a box, and placed, besides the coachman, • two
persons on the front seat, as they had a right to do.
It was further contended that the 21st section of the
same Statute protected, in the clearest manner, all
coaches of this description; fcr this carriage does
net carry the smallest quantity, of luggage on the
roof ; but in a fore-boot, and beneath the body. And
the Statute enacts, that as several of the restrictions
imposed by this Act would be rendered less neces-
sary if no luggage were carried on the roof, all
coaches which should in future carry all their lug-
gage in a boot or beneath, should be licensed to carry
twelve instead of ten passengers ; , and, without
stating where such, additional passengers should be
placed, goes on to protect the owners or drivers of
such coaches from any of the penalties imposed by
the Act, notwithstanding any clause to the contrary.
Upon these grounds it was submitted that the infor-
mation should be quashed, and the fine remitted.—
After some deliberation the Magi,trates decided that
the front seat was not a box within the meaning of
the Act, and released the defendants from the penalty
, of the information accordingly.

" Stan—The undersigned citizens think that the time is ar-
rived in which their sacred duty of looking not less to the safety
of the Stite than to that of your Majesty, authorizes them to
speak a language which, far from being deficient in respect, is
the sincere expression of the most ardent patriotism, and the
warmest affection to the person of your Majesty. Individual
petitions against a particular abuse of power ought not, in the
present moment, to be the object of the declaration of free citi-
zens to your Majesty. Such declarations have rained like dew
upon your palace, but they are either concealed from your view,
or receive a sinister interpretation ; theinfore they produce no
other results than such as are contrary to expectation.
" The unforeseen fall of General Meg° may be considered as
the exciting cause; but it is not, in truth, the principal nor the
sole cause of this exposition : has lot, whatever it may be, can
never be indifferent to Spaniards who love their country; it is,
if we may use the expression, identified with the Constitutitmal
system, and the whole !ration has fixed its eyes on his prosper-
ous or adverse fortunes.

" Publicity, Sire, is the soul of Representative Governments;
but although it were not so, neither justice nor policy would ad-
vise that the violent measures of Government should be covered
with the veil of mystery, which, although they affect one indivi-
dual only at first, may in time compromise, as they really have
comprised, the public tranquillity. Let his crimes therefore be
declared, if in truth he has been so misled as to make an attempt
against his country ; and let the sword of the law fall upon his
head, exhibiting before the face of neighbouring nations an act of
justice, which will at once du honour to the Spanish name, and
to the sacred code of our liberties. But it. as it is to be hoped,
and as it has happened, not for the first time, that he should turn,
out to be innocent, what inference are we to draw from his dis-
missal, which, although it is in the power of your Majesty to or-
der, ought not to be effected by mere dislike or caprice? The
only inference is, that it has been the work of the sante hand from
which proceeded the unjust attempts committed daily by those
who held the reins of Government—that it has coincided with
the peculiar tendency and sinister end with which repeated ap-
pointments have been made and are making to the first offices, in
the persons of men the most unfit for such situations, and disaf-
fected to the present order of things—that efforts are nude to op-
pose the spirit of those liberal institutions by which we are go-
verned, in order that under their shade past evils may be perpe-
tuated.

" On any other supposition, how can we explain the conduct
of the Council of State, which, since the persons employed in the
administration of justice were suspended by the Cortes, with the
intention that, passing through the ordeal of examination, only
such should be nominated as are truly worthy of occupying posts
so important, has replaced them all, indiscriminately, and with-
out consideration of what repeated Decrees had provided? This
is, Sire, if you will permit the expression, to give the National
Congress a slap in the face, and to place yourself in discordance
with its deliberations, in order to paralyze the majestic and tran-
quil progression which we have promised ourselves from a
change of Government without convulsion. Such may be said
of that idea of a Republican faction, which has been so often and
so vainly declared, and the assertion of which doubtless has no
other object than to impose upon the unwary, to intimidate the
weak, and to kindle the fire of discord which burns and consumes