The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-24
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

| =-=s.----=..=----.=sEs-
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
~ 10 'hoW 'ohai Is done, and ,ohat should be done
~ 9tce. =suH
CHAALss M. W mr.sD' Editors and Propyistors'
os sNhs'- The United STATES Postal Guide and
W'e'a' ADVERTISER, containing about 80 spper-roual
ocfavo pages is published ,nonthiu Hr oNr poI-
LAR ONLY per "n'sum payable in aduancs-or five
dollars for str 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 to follow / as
for its aim no less a purpose, than to impart in
struction, 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
izaton, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments Of their Government. There has hiIh-
| erto Teen vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of Information Of this kind The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of instrur
tions more 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
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported TO Congress, are too voIuminousl
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceeds
ngs, 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 policya
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.
pies, for the despatch Of the public business whcf
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, methodicaI, 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
any party or personal interest or question what
| ever.
It is known to most Of those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was AUDI.
| tor of the Post-Ofice 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 wears since and for
many years previously, had been, first in the Wor
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury
He has therefore had the best opportunities for
| 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 incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and ciyitv with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduouslv
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. IL is with
<>R~ Al
reaching the various sources of administrative acs
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative ns
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 mad,
| by them during the preceding month. Tables q,
| Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
| ment only once in two three years Il ia 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 one ratons
and offices in operation which not in the tables1
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 modi6s
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 msdi,
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 iintelll-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself. 49,.
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 r
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at once
| to subscribe The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices. decisions, and instructorf
| Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interio,
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