The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-13

"a 10 sho'o Uhat Is DONE and ,ohat should be done
o. - - IN QDiee.skm
rErhh u WAsHrsGroN, -,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, Editors and Proprietors
- thms =" The United States Postal G,,id, and
Official 4dpertiser,' containing abo,,I 40 .''.o,'J
ocfdpo pages, Is published inonihlu Ar nr,v no,
LAR ONLY, per dnnuD payable in aduanoe-or fine
dollars for SiI 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 It's aim no less Il 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
ization, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto tecn no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of Information of this kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue of lnstrur
tons, or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more 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, too voluminouss
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
party ends and to matters of national policy3
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there 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
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 honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
! Ii we succeed in rendering the functions of the
| primary offices more uniform, methodical, and eY
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 independenty'
| 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 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 1t on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he hatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
preseGt ncumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and ciyllity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
, engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
! sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details Of the Post-Ofice and
other branches of the public business. 1t is with
this stock OF experience, and these advantages fol
reaching the various sources Of administrative &C,
ton, and for lmparting minute and illustrative in
structon, 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, to
{ afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or mad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables o.
) Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years 1t is a
matter OF inconvenience and complaint, for which