The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-23
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UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

|
PETER G. WAsHrNGToN, pJ,,.,,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, Ed't0's and Prop'1stors.
TERMs.-'' The United States Postal Guide and
Official .4dpertiser, containing about 80 superToyai
octaUO pages, is published monthly for ONE Dol
LAR ONLY, per anflun, paaabie ial advance--or fire
dollars for sir copies ordered at amy time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
OF which this paper is at once the commencement,
and a sample of the papers that are to follow, has
for Its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
srucuon, In the general and 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
iZation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instruc-
tions more or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
Iquate in the absence OF the construction Of those
Laws, az 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 voluminous
and printed in quantities too small for general
crcuaton; 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 as far as 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
pIes for the despatch Of the public business which
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
| caaH in he ilnc Of Ia
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 east-apart from, and independently of
any party or personal interest 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 Posl-Oflice Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both postmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. lie en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many wears previously, had been, first in the War
Department, and 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 it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he fatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard OF most or the
present incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and clvIlIty with
them ALL The Junior Editor has been assslduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post Office and
other branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative ac-
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 as
the day for the publication of our paper, to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or mad
by them during the preceding month. Tables o
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ant
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
! ment only once in two or three years 1t is d
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation,
and Offices in operation which not in the tables
At this time there 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 81 regulations
of which many posmasters 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 modf
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 misdi.
rection, remaling, 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 lntelli-
| cent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of all
Others are worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and will, il is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels Just pride in his office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office systen--at once
to subscribe The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices, DECISIONS and instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments, and the same course is intended IN
respect to them. Notices Of the decisions Of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest, will find place
in this paper.
A department of our paper addressing itself no
merely to postmasters and other officers of tn
:, Governments but to all other citizens who give at
tenton to the affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development of the country, Will embrace IN
condensed form the matters submitted to, or arts
| inp in Congress. At each session vast deal Of
valuable information is communicated to Con
gress by the several departments and their subor
dnate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
, reports are made by committees of both Houses
I But the great mass of the community know moth
ing of the contents of these documents and re
ports, except the brief notices of them, which
8 from timo to timo appear in the public papers
S The standing number printed of each documt n
and report, is only twelve hundred IN The Senate
, and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
tives, which at once shows the impracticablIIty
| their dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con
0 tain short abrdgments or analysis of all thes
documents and reports, and the compend vii
G therefore not only prove exceedingly useful ant
I instructive in itself, but will furnish an easy indie!
2 to those interested, whenever it is found desrabl
to obtain and examine the document at large
" There is large field before us, the materials ar
+ ample. 1t will be our Jealous care to collect an
$ arrange them in the proper form. We have ever,
8 confidence that the subscriptions will be ample
enable us to accomplish it all. The nformatio
=. we propose to give, comprehending and conhne
. to the action Of the Government, is solid, usefu
. . and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the off
. cer-lf not 10 the citizen. 1t is intended for al
i, and put at price which can constitute no obstac
y with any fiat the end Of the year, any subscribe
~ shall find that he has not received the full value
70 his money, in intellectual enjoyment and in Il
: increased light and aid afforded him, for the di
% charge of his official duties in exercising by h
Is vote his just share in tine conduct of our public