The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-21
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

THE .
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
IL shor tchat is done and tphai should be done,
in 4tice.sEH
PETER G. WAsHrSGroN, pd;,o.,, p.,,v;.,,,,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, I 'a"" '""''o''
Terms. -" The United States Postal Guide and
Qteiat advertiser" containing about 30 stpsr-royal
oetapo pages, Is published monthly tbr ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per annum, payable in adpanee-or yfrs
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
| The enterprise in which we now embark, and
or which this paper is at once the commencement,
and a sample Of the papers that are to follow, has
for its ann no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general aud detail, to the Officers
and Agents of the American public in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
izaion, decisions and action OF the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hth-
erto Teen vehicle for the reg llar and proper
communication Of information Of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue Of instruc-
ions, more or less comprehensive and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate in the absence of the construction Of those
Laws, as applied TO particular cases, and of details
| and illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voumnous,
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circulaton; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed
ings, and the proceedings Of the Executive branch
| Of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
| general principles, address themselves only to
party ends, and to matters Of national policy.
! These publications in their various forms are
highly useful IN themselves far they go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands Of all, if they did
do they furnish those rules, methods and exam
n he h,,ui
can render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect to the incumbent him.
| self, or the department or bureau under which he
acts. We shall make an honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and TO provide for these necessities.
| If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
| primary offices more uniform, methodical, and ex-
act, we shall make the administrative duties of the
departments more easy and effective, and thereby
| promote the real and substantial interests Of the
country. And this we expect to do, to some ex-
tent at least--apart from, and independently of
any party or personal interest or question what
ever.
| 1t is known TO most OF those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
tor of the Post-Office Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both postmasers and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many years previously, had been, first in the War
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury.
He has therefore had the best opportunities for
understanding the arrangements Of business in all
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry il Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he Aatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
present incumbents Of the departments, and is on
becoming terms 0f intercourse and civiiity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousIy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
l.I., Il. .r a. H..
other branches Of the public business. Ii is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &C.
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
Information, that we challenge your confidence
and solicit your support and patronage.
! We have fixed upon the 18th Of each month a
the day for the publication Of our paper, so as t,
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables oil
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t is u
matter Of inconvenience and complaint for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
month from the time Of these issues, there are Of
fees in the tables which are no longer in ope alton
and Offices in operation which not in the tables
AT this time there are perhaps over three thousand
offices Of the two descriptions. In like manner
laws have been passed and regulations established
since the issue Of the last volume OF regulations
! of which many postmasters and others are wholly
ignorant. We propose TO prevent, for the present
any increase Of the evil of either kind, and from
the time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modii.
cations, made IN each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up TO and
for time being. How much Of the present misLi.
rection, remailing, doubt. confusion, error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
| OF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided, and for which we engage, every inelIi
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently of all
others, arc worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels II Just pride in his office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system-at once
to subscribe, The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices, DECISIONS and instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and lntero,
departments, and the same course is intended If
respect to them. Notices of the decisions Of tn,
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question:
of official duty or national interest, will fhd place
| in this paper.
department of our paper addressing itself no
merely TO postmasters and other officers of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tentiun the affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development of the country, will embrace in q
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal Of
valuable information is communicated to Con
gress, by the several departments and their subOr
dinate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses
But the great mass Of the community know moth
ing of the CT ntents Of these documents and re.
ports, except the brief notices of them, which
from time to time appear in the public paper>
| The standing number printed of each documen
and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-.
tives, which once shows the impracticabiIlty OF
their dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con
tain short abridgments or analysis of all these
documents and reports, and the compend will
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
instructive in ITSELF but will furnish an easy index
to those interested, whenever il is found desirable
to obtain and examine the document at large
| There is a large field before us, the materials are
ample. 1t will be our Jealous care to collect and
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample to
enable us to accomplish it ALL The information
we propose to give, comprehending and confined
to the action Of the Government, is solid, useful