The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-14
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
AND OFFICIAL .4DyERTTGER. ~

- =" "o" "hot IS doas and chot Should Be done
~ Ia ytice..kT
CnAnLns M. W VILLAS Editors and Propristors.
TERMS -" The United Statss Postal Guide and
0c''' .idreff'sfr' coneining abo~t SO sppsr-royaI
oe'o'o pages Is paoi'shed monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per aHnaIa, payable IN adcascs---or five
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one fine
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark. AMI
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
strucuon, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents of the American public, in reapsct both
to their duties and their rights and TO make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
zatlon, decisions and action Of the Exscntivs de-
partments Of their Government. There has hith
erto teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of Information Of this kind. The
publication Of the Laws ind the issue of lnstrur
tons, 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
structons Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voiuminous
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 10
party ends, and to matters Of national policy.
These publications In their various forms are
highly useful in themselves far as they 60, 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
plea 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 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
DER 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 Tor
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 or business IN all
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he flatters 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 civllty with
| them all The Junior Editor has been asssduoualy
| engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Oflice and
| other branches OF the public business II is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages tor
reaching the various sources OF administrative ac-
ton, and for importing minute and illustrative IN
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
1 . ,t,rt CHI Iet,rc
| and solicit your support and patronage.
| We have fixed upon the 18th of each month IA
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 o.
Post Offices, and compilations Of the Laws ana
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
nent only in two or three years. IL is
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
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 tblesy
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,
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 modh-
cations made IN each month, and by beng hied
and preserved will afford to postmasers full and
exact information upon both subjects, up TO and
for time being. How much Of the present misdi-
rection, remailing, 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 inteiii-
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, it is hoped, induce every
postnlaster who feels just pride IN his office, or
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Pos Office sysiem--at once
| tn 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 IL intended IN
| respect to them. Notices of the decisions OF the
| supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
Of official duty or nauoh" n'e'es'' WI" An' "P'"0s
in this paper.
A denartment of our paper addressing itself not
merely 10 postmasters and other officers OF the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tenton the affairs or the nation ana tne progress
and development Of the J, untry, will embrace IN
eused form the matters submitted to, or nris-
inc in Copareas At each session vast deal or
valuable information is communicated TO Con-
gress. by the several departments and their subor-
3inate bureaus, and profound aud comprehenstve
reports are made by committees OF both Houses
~, Tho great mass Of the community know MOTH
;.g az Inc contents Of these documents and re-
ooy,a. except the brief notices Of them, which
r., time to time appear in the public papers.
The standing number printed of each document
a,,d rsnort. is only twelve hundred in the Senate,
and fourteen hundred IN the doose OF Represents
,.ag u,hich at once shows the impracticability OF
-. - 'd;ssenination The ApvERTIsER will con-
I'm short abridgmenta analysis of all these
nocnn,ents and reports, and the compend will
~ reSore not only prove exceedingly useful and
,s,rnc,ive in itself, but will furnish an easy index
y, - ;o,orss,ed whenever il is found desirable
~. w npsa,n and examine the document at large.
RI sr, Is large field before us, the materials
.nanle II will be our Jealous care to collect and
Them in the proper form. We have every
canedence that the subscriptions will be ample to
enable ms 90 accomplish il all The information
we propose to give, comprehending and con6ne
~ ,be action OF the Government, is solid, usefs
and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the of
cer-lf no, 10 the citizen. Il is intended for all.
- ant NJ a uricc which can constitute obstacle