The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-07
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL .4DpER TfSER.
IL To shOte Uhat Is done, and ,ohai should be done
IN Qtice.ssE
Perez G. WAsHrNGroN,
Charles M. WmLARp, Editors and PropristOr'.
TERss. -" The United STATES Postal Guide and
official .7dpsTtiser" containing about 30 super-
oefauo pages, Is published monthly for ONE. DOL
LAR ONLY, per an''um. payable in adpance-or fire
dollars tof s'r copies ordered al any one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
or which this paper is at once the commencement
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, has
Tor Its aim no less a purpose, than to impart in
struction, 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,
ana the people at large, acquainted with the organ
zation, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partments of their Government There has hi,h-
erto teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information Of this kind The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of instruc-
tons, more or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or leas extended, have proved wholly made
9uate, in the absence Of the construction Of those
Laws, applied to particular cases, and of details
ana 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
circulation, 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 az far az they go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
that % not reach the hands Of all, nor if they did,
da they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
Piles, 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.
II we succeed in rendering tho 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 al ieast-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-Ofice 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. 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 curry it on Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he latters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
present incumbents Of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
| 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 &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, 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
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in ont
month from the time Of these issues, there are Of
fees in the tables which no longer in ope alton
and Offices in operation which are not in the tables
At this time there are perhaps over three thousand
offices of the two descriptions. In like name
|
since the issue Of the last volume OF regulations
of which many postmasters and others are who'll,
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 pape
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modifi
| cations, made IN each month, and by being flet
and preserved, will afford to postmaSters full
exact information upon both subjects, up to ant
for time being. How much Of the present misdi
rection, remang, doubt, confusion, error, ant
imposition, will be saved by the progressive stat
OF full and exact knowledge, for which we hav
provided, and for which We engage, every intelli
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of al
| others, are worth many times the price we chnrg
for the paper, and WILL it is hoped, induce ever,
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office, o
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, ant
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system-at ono
to subscribe. The same considerations apply t
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interio
!, departments, and the same course is intended i
respect to them. Notices Of the decisions Of tn
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question
of official duty national interest, will find plac
in this paper.
A department Of our paper addressing itself nc
merely to pustmasters and other officers of tn
Government, but to all other citizens who give al
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 aris
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal @
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 contents Of these documents and RI
ports, except the brief notices Of them, whic
from time to time appear in the public papers
The standing number printed of each documer
and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Represents
tves, which at once shows the impracticabity
their dissemination. The Advertiser will cor
tain short abridgments or analysis Of all thes
documents and reports, and the compend wi
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful an
instructive in itself, but will furnish an easy indie
to those interested whenever it is found desirabl
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
J confidence that the subscriptions will be ample t
enable us to accomplish it all. The informatio
we propose TO give, comprehending and confne
to the action Of the Government, is solid, usefu
} and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the off
cer-,f not 10 the citizen. Ii is intended for al