The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-06
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
ArCTnJ1T anVpnngv "

IND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
|N1o sAoT scAat q doae aud schst should be done,
!, ~ e6Rcs.~Eu i4saQss
CHARLES NJ 1 Wnsso' Editor, and Prorrisiors.
TEkMs. =" The United States Postal Guide and
OFFICIAL advertiser" containing about 30 srper-royai
oefapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per annum, pGyabie In adrance-or fire
donars for sir copies ordered AZ any one time
PREFARATORY 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 10 follow, has
for its ann no less purpose, Than to impart IN
strnction, in the general aud detail to the Officers
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-
pnrtments of their Government. There has hith-
erto teen 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 ut 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 10 make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voumnous,
and are 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
party ends, and to matters of national policy.
/ These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they 60, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands Of all nor il they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
piles, 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
ealf ~, he
nets. We shall make an honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and provide for these necessities.
! If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methodical, 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 least-apart from, and independently Of
any party or personal interest or question what
ever.
! Ii il known to most Of those to whom this pa
\ per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
tor of the PostOfiice Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postn,sters 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, ard 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 and regard Of most Of the
present incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and cIviity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
, engaged for several years, in studying, by per.
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
other branches Of the public business. l; is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages toi
a. 10 Oh.
ton, and for mparting minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your confidence
: and solicit your support and patronage.
i We have fixed upon the 18th Of each month al
the day for the publication Of paper, so an TO
afford time for obtaining from the departments,
all the orders notices and changes issued, or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables OF
Post Offices, and compilations Of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. IL is o
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 are no longer in opc alton
and Offices in operation which not in the tables
AT this time there perhaps over three thousand
Offices of the two descriptions. in like manner
4 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
lany 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 IN each month"; and by being filed
and preserved, will afford postmnsiers full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being. How much of the present lnisdi-
recuon, remalng, doubt, confusion, error, and
u imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
OF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided, aud for which we engage, every intelli-
gent postmaster estimate for himself.
\ These advantages alone and independently of all
others, are worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and viii, II is hoped, induce every
i postmaster who feels Just pride in his office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office systemat once
to subscribe The same considerations apply to
4 the orders and notices, DECISIONS and instructions
of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments, and the course il intended in
respect TO them. Notices of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest, will find place
i'll this Ispec.
A department of our paper addressing itself not
merely to poxtmuslera and othor officers of the
Government, but TO all other citizens who give at
tenton to the affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development of the untry, will embrace IN n
condensed form the matters Submitted to, or aris-
ing in Congress. At each session a vast deal of
valuable Information is communicated to Con-
gfess, ny Tue seVerh departments anu tleit SuDOT-
dnate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses.
But the great mass Of the community know moth
ing of the contents Of these documents and re-
ports, except the brief notices of them, which
from time to time appear in the public papers.
The standing number printed of each documepr
and report, is only twelve hundred in the SENATE.
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
tyes, which at once shows the mpracticabity Of
their dissemination, The Advertiser will con-
tain short abridgments or analysis of all these
/ documents and reports, and the oompend will
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
instructive in itself, but will furnish easy index
TO those Interested. whenever it ~ found desirable
! TO obtain aud examine the document at large.
There is large field before US, the materials
ample, Ii will he our Jealous care collect and
arrange them IN the proper form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample to
enable us to accomplish it all The information
we propose to give, comprehending and confined
to the action Of the Government, is solid, useful,
and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the Off
cer--f not 10 the citizen. IL il intended for all,
and pu at price which can constitute no obstacle