The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-25
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

PETER G. WAsHrNGToN,( iii, ,.,.....
CHARLES NJ. WILLARD, Editors an" fropr'efor''
TERMS" The United States Postal Guide and
Official .4dpertiser," containing about 80 Sper-royal
Octaro pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per dnnun, payable in aduance-or fpe
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
i The enterprise in which now embark, and
or which this paper is at once the eommenc ement,
and sample of the papers that are to follow, has
for Its aim no less a purpose, than to impart in
sructon, 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
lzation, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partments Of their Government. There has hth-
erto teen 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 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
4 structions Ineligible The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminous,
and are printed in quantities too small for general
| circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed
lngs, and the proceedings of the Executive branch
i of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only to
party ends, and to matters of national policy.
| i
highly useful in themselves as far they go, and
some of them indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands OF all, nor 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.
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 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-Otfice Department until the month
Of November last; with by far the larger portion
, Of both postmasters and contractors, lie has had
direct intercourse in person by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years SINCE and for
many years 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 hatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
present incumbens of the departments and is
becoming terms of intercourse and ClVllIty with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssduously
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
ton, and for impartng 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 as
the day for the publication Of our paper, so to
afford time for obtaining from the departments,
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables OF
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, 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
month from the time of these issues, there are Of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation,
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 manner
laws have been passed and regulations established
since the issue of the last volume Of regulations,
Of which many postmasers and others 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 modif-
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, remaing, 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 nelli-
J gent postmaster can estimate for himself
} These advantages alone and independently OF all
others, worth many times the price charge
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
} postmaster who feels ust pride in his office, or
, ri s. he ,,l
efficiency of the whole Post Office syslem-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 is intended in
respect to them. Notices of the decisions Of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
Of official duty national interest, will find place
in this paper.
A department of our paper addressing itself not
! merely to pUstmasters and other officers of the
\ Government, 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 n
condensed form the matters submitted to, or arts
ing in Congress- At each session a vast deal Of
valuable information is communicated to Con-
grcss, by the several departments and their subor-
dnate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
, reports are made by committees of both Houses.
t 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
6 from time to time appear IN the public papers
6 The standing number printed of each docums nj
and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate.
3 and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
tives which at shows the impractlcablllty of
| their dissemination The ADVERTISER will con-
D tain short abridgments anal ysis of all these
documents and reports, and the compend will
e therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
instructive in ITSELF but will furnish easy index
: to those interested, whenever it is found desirable
to obtain and examine the document at large.
# There is large field before us, the materials are
. ample 1t will be our Jealous to collect and
8 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
r we propose to give, comprehending and confined
q to the action Of the Government, is solid, useful
. and I'VE might almost say necessary to the off
. cer-lf not to the citizen 1t is intended for all
: and put at price which can constitute obstacl,
4 with any. fiat the end of the year, any subscribe
g shall find that he has not received the full value o
y his money, in intellectual enjoyment and in thu
increased light and aid afforded him, for the dis
charge of his official duties or in exercising by hi.
4