The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-23

III 10 Shoto what Is done, aud uhnt should be done
prrra G wA.nrs !" sss'i = =
CnARLEs M, WmLAeD, Ed'forsmd Propristorsi
Terms. =" The Uniisd States Postal Guide aud
ODieiat .adperser' containing abouf 30 spperroqak
oefepo pages as published monthly sbr ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per anaum, payable In adpanes-oy fus
dollars for sir copies ordered
% PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark and
OF which this paper is at once the commencement,
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, as
for its aim no less purpose, than TO impart in
struction, in the general and detail, TO the Officer
and Agents ofthe American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them
land the people at large, acquainted with the organ
ization, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partmeuts of their Government. There has hh
erto Leen 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
quate, in the absence OF The construction OF those
Laws, applied to particular cases, and of details
and Illustrations to make the regulations and in
structons Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminous
and printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the Debates in Congress- and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed
ngs, and the proceedings of the Executive branch
of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only TO
marty ends, and to matters of national policy
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves 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
ples for the despatch OF the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect to the incumbent him
| self, 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, methodcal, 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
| tent at least-apart from, and Independently of
any party personal interest or question what
ever. Glr lgE
| 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-Oice 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 natters himself he has
preserved the respect ana regard OF most or the
presef incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civty with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Oifice and
other branches Of the public business IL is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various 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 xed upon the 18th OF each month as
the day for the publication of paper, no 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 on
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
REGULATIONS are issued by the Post Office Depart-
ment only once in two or three years. Iii a
matter Of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that i'm one
month from the time of these issues there are of.
Aces in the tables which no longer in operations
and offices in operation which are not in the tabesl
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 OF regulations
of which many postmasters and others are wholly
ignorant We propose to prevent, for the present,
a1y 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 Ia each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford TO postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up TO and
70, time being How much of the present niisdi-
rection, remailing, doubt, confusion, error, and
imposition will be saved by the progressive state
| of 'fnll and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided and for which we engage, every intelli-
cent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and Independently OF all
others. are worth many times the price charge
for the paper, and will, Il rs hoped, induce every
| noatmas,er who feels just pride in his office T
natriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, an
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--ai ono
To subscribe The same considerations apply {,
the orders and notices. decisions ana Instructors
az The War, Navy, Treasury, State, and tnterio,
densrtments and the same course Is intended y
resnect 10 them Notices Of the decisions of the
supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
Of official duty or national interest, will hnd placs
IN this pavsr. ...a,,L1 nsI
ooereIv 10 p,,stmasters and other officers Of the
C;oveynment, bat to all other citizens who give at
tention to the affairs Of the nation and the progress
/ and development Of the [, uniry Will embrace In
condensed form the matters submitted TO, or aris-
| inc in Congress-. AT each session vast deal OF
lya1,shl. Information is communicated to Con-
0ress bv the several departments and their subor-
dinste bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses
Bn, the great mass Of the community know moth
ing Of the contents OF THESE uocunenis ana re-
nor,s except the brief notices OF them, which
from time to time appear in the public papers,
The standing number printed OF each documelt
and report, is only twelve hundred IN The Senate,
and fourteen hundred in the touse OF Representa-
,,ves which at once shows the impracticability of
their dissemination. The ApyEHusER Will CON
tain short abridgments or analysis of all these
documents and reports, and 'ns co mpend Wi
therefore not only prove exceedingly. useful and
instructive in itself, but will furnish an easy index
e, those interested, whenever il is found desirable
TO obtain and examine the documen AT large
There is large held before US, the materials are
| ,rnnle IL will be our jealous care TO collect and
| arrange them in the prope form We have every
confidence that the SUBSCRIPTIONS will he ample ~
| enable us to accomplish II ALL The Information
we propose TO give, comprehending and confined
TO The action Of the Government, solid, usefa,
and 1--WE might almost say) necessary TO the Off
cer-if not to the citizen. II is intended for all,
and pu, a, price which can constitute obstacle
with any. fiat the end of the year any subscriber
shall find that he has not received the full value Of