The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-05

sls 10 Mo,c what IS DONE and tchat should be done
Prrnn G. wAsarSeros.
CaARLrs Nj. VILLAIN, Editors and ProprirtOrs.
Terms. -" The United States Postal Guide and
Official .ddreriser containing about 30 spo,r-roaI
ocfaro PAGES, IS published monthly for ONE pot
LAR ONLY, per alnun,, payable in aduance-oy fire
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one Time
PREPARATORY NOTICE
The enterprise III which embark an
OF which this paper is ut once the commencement,
and sample of the papers that are to follow, es
for It's ann no less purpose, than to mpart in
structon, in the general and detail, to the Officer
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
ization, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hilh
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
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
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminot,s
aud 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 go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hunds 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, 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, nehodica, 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 east-apart from, and independently OF
any party on personal interest or question what
| ever.
/ Ii is known to most Of those to whom this pa
| per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
Tor of the Post-Offce Department until the month
OF November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postmasers and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. lie 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 il on Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he latters himself he hhs
T preserved the respect and regard of most OF the
4 presci incumbents of the departments, and is on
e becoming terms of intercourse and civIlity with
: them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
n engaged for several years, IN studying, by per-
II sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
" daily routine and details OF the Posi-Oiice and
other BRANCHES Of the public business. IL is with
this stock OF experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources Of administrative &c
tion and for importing minute and Illustrative 70
struc;ion, and valuable periodical and stals' CO
information, that we challenge your confluence
aid solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th of each month as
. the day for the publication of our paper, rs to
afford lime 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 ana
Regulations, are issued by the Post oillce Depart
nent only once in two or three years. IT IL a
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been remedy, that IN one
month from the time Of these Issues >there are of
fees in the tables which are no longer IN operation
and Offices in operation which 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 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 modi-
cations made ia each month, and by being filed
and preserved, wH. afford to postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being. How much of the present misdi-
rection, remang, doubt. confusion, error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
Of full and exact knowledge, fer which we have
provided, and for which we engage, every intei-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of all
; others, are worth many times the price charge
I for the paper, and Will, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels Just pride IN his Office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at once
TO subscribe. The 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," viii find place
r in this PAIR.