The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-22
IT, THE ''-"'' WIZ "''"
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
LtL- Ind 0EEIGIaI- LanYEl TIC I'D,

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UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
I - yaa A.ND OFFICIAL .aDYER USER p,.
~ To shov rhat Is done, and .Vhat should be done
:. =, s-..,--.,..,e IN &fcs.=sI
cmaa a nv 1 Msno' Editors and Perpetrators
TERms---'' The United States Postal Gaide ana
Official advertiser, containing about 80 siper-roya
octaro pages, Is published monthly for ONE DOL.
LAR ONLY, per ann,lm, payable IN ddpanee-or fire
dollars for Sr copies ordered at any one time '.n
a0. 81 PREPARATORY NOTICE. u1.n
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
ofwhich this paper is at once the commencement
and sample of the papers that are to follow, has
Tor Its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
strnction, 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 withthe organ
lzation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
pattments of their Government. There has nth
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 intervals
| more or less extended, have proved wholly made
guate, 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 voluminous,
and are printed in quantities too small for general
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, nor if they did,
do 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 10 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 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, 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 aatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
| present ncumbents of the departments, and is on
| becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
| them ALL The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
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. it is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &C
ton, and for nparting 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 as 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, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t is a
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 are no longer in operation,
and offices in operation which are 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 TIE ISSUE VI VI
| of which many postmasters and others are wholly
isnoraint. 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-
recton rerlaing, 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 intelli-
gent 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 it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels Just pride in his office,
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office systenr--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 national interest, will find place
! in this paper. -. 81 ~ s,lGa ..l
A del artment of our paper addressing itself moi
merely TO postmasiers 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 a
condensed form the matters submitted to, or ars-
| ing in Congress. At each session a, vast deal OF
! valuable information is communicated to Con
gress by the several departments aud 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 re-
ports except the brief notices of them, which
! from time to time appear in the public papers
The standing number printed of each documen
and report, Is only twelve hundred i'll the Senate
and fourteen hundred in the House of Represents
tives, which at once shows the impraotieabhty Of
their dissemination. g The ADVERTISER will con
tain short abridgments or anal yss of all these
documents and reports, and the compend vii
therefore not only prove exceedingly usefu and
instructive in itself, but will furnish an easy index
to those interested, whenever it is found desirable
20 obtain and examine the document at large
There is a large field before US, the materials arr
i ample, II will be our jealous care to collect ant
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample t
enable us to accomplish it all. The information
we propose to give, comprehending and confne,
to the action Of the Government, is solid, useful