The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-25
Dff THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
IND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

s1sVD OFFICL1L .1DFEKJlSEK.
A3~ 10 sh0W tOhat u done, and nhat should be done,
in q6ace.-a&U
FErER u. WAsnrNoToN, EoE,.. p.;..
CHARLES M. WLLARp, hd1ors ana rropr'efors.
TERMs. 80 The United States Postal Guide aud
Official Advertiser" coaining about 80 srpsr-royai
ocfapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per an~un, payable IN adroncs-or fire
dollars for str copies ordered at any one time
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which now embark, and
Of which this paper is at once the commencement,
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, has
for it's aim no less purpose, than to mpnrt In
structiOn, IN the general and detail to the Officers
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
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-
psrtments 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 and the issue of lnstruc
tons, more less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or Less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence of the construction Of those
Laws, us 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 youmnous,
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
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 hands Of all, If they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
ples 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
| sef, or the department or bureau under which he
WI - l. a. IL,
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
| If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform. methodcal, 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--apnrt from, and independently Of
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 was Audi
tor of the Post-Otice Department until the month
of November last with by far the larger portion
Of both poslmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years snce 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 it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he fattera himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most OF the
present incumbents Of the departments, and is on
u becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
: 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 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages fol-
reaching the various sources of administrative ac-
lion, and for impartng minute and illustrative In
y 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, to
afford time for Obtaining from the departments,
all the orders, notices andchanges 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 three years. 1t is Il
matter Of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there Of
fees in the tables which longer IN ope 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
laws have been passed and regulations established
since the issue Of the last volume OF regulations
!, Of which many posmasters and others are wholly
| ignorant. We propose to prevent, for the present
my increase Of the evil of either kind, and from
he time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modf
; cations, made IN each month, and by being filed
,ud preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
| .xact information upon both subjects, up to and
, or time being. How much of the presen, misdi-
, | .ection remailing, doubt, confusion, error, and
| imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
IF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
, provided, and for which we engage, every intelli-
: | rent westminster 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
postmaster who feels just pride IN his office, or
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at once
10 subscribe. The same considerations apply to
he orders and notices, DECISIONS, and instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments and the same course ~ 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
in this rapsr. ;.
| department Of our paper addressing itself not
merely to postmasters and other officers OF the
Government but to all other citizens who give al
ention the affairs If the nation and the progress
and DEVELOPMENT Of the untry, will embrace IN a
condemned form the matters submitted to, or arls-
ino in Congress At each session a vas, deal Of
. valuable information ~ communicated TO Con
oress by the several departments and their subor-
dinate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are maze ny CoiH'uh'eNS VI p"'' 'i""Se"'
! But the great mass Of the community know moth
mo 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 Document,
and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate.
and fourteen hundred in the douse OF Representa-
t;ves. which at once shows the lmpracticabny or
their dissemination. The Advertiser will con-
tain short sbridgments or analysis of all these
documents and reports, and the comPend VIII
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
instructive in ITSELF but will furnish an easy index
To those interested whenever it is found desirable
! TO obtain and examine the document at large
Their. is a large field before us, the materials are
ample 1t will be our zenlous care TO collect and
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence that the SUBSCRIPTIONS VIII be ample TO
enable us TO accomplish it all. The information
we propose to give, compromising and confined
to the action Of the Government, is solid, useful,
and 1--WE might almost say necessary TO the ON
cer,f not to the citizen 1t is intended for all,
and nut at price which can constitute no obstacle
with any, II at the end of the year. any subscriber