The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-29
UNITED STATES POSTAL q UJDE.
IND OFFICIAL .fDVERTLSER


in qJiee.-k ID
rErER " WAsnrNGroS, Ur. 40
CHARLES M. WILLARD, Io'o'' ana froPyttlors
Terms 50 The United States Postal Guide and
Qgtc'M .1drerfssr containing about 80 yrper-rcuaf
ocfauo pages, Is published monthly for ONE poL-
LAR ONLY, per annum, payable ia adrance-or fve
dollars for sir copies ordered at aay one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise IN which we now embark. and
Of which this paper is at the commencement,
ana sample OF the papers that are to follow, has
for It's aim no less a purpose, than 10 mpart in
siructon, in the general and detail to the Otieer
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 teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information Of this kind The
publication OF the Laws aud the issue of ,nstruc
tons, more or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly nade-
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
siructions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported TO Congress, too vouminolis
and 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 enus, ana 10 matters OF national policy.
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they co. and
some of them Indispensable; but there is1fnuch
that do reach the hands Of all, nor il thew did
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
pies, 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 an honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices uniform, methodica, 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 OF
any party or 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-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 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 ii on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he natters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most of the
press: incumbents of the departments and is on
becoming terms OF intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduouyly
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. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
| reaching the various sources OF administrative
! ton, and for mpartng minute and Illustrative in
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 and changes issued, or mad
by them during the preceding month. Tables
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t is a
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in
month from the time of these issues, there are of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation
and Offices in operation which are 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 modf-
/
and preserved, will afford postmasters full and
| exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being. How much Of the present msdi-
reciion, 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 intelli-
gent postmaster estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of all
Others, IRE worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
/ FL, ,,,,t IL. l.. IA.
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at
| to subscribe The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices, decisions, and Instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
| departments, and the same course rs intended in
| resneci to them. Notices of the decisions Of the
! Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest, will frd place
| in this pa r.
| A department OF our paper addressing itself not
merely to postInasters and other officers OF the
Government but to all other citizens who give at
ten,on to The affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development Of the untry, will embrace in
condensed form the matters submitted 10, or aris-
ing in Congress. At each session a vast deal OF
valuable Information Is communicated to Con-
oress by the several departments and their subor-
dnate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses
! But the great mass Of the community know noth'
ing of the contents Of these documents and re
ports, except the brief notices OF them, when
! from time to time appear IN the pubic papers.
! The standing number printed of each docume
| and report is only twelve hundred in the Senate,
! and fourteen hundred in the House of Representa-
! lives, which at once shows the impractcabty OF
! their dissemination The ADVERTISER will con-
tain short abridgments analysis of all these
! documents and reports, and the compend will
| therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
! instructive in ITSELF but will furnish easy index
| 10 those interested, whenever it is found desirable
10 obtain and examine the document at large.
There is a large field before u.s. the materials are
ample. Ii will be Jealous care to collect and
arrange ,hem 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
10 the action Of the Government, is solid, useful .
and 1--WE nigh, almost say necessary to the Off
cer-lf not to the citizen 1t is intended for ell,
and put at a price which constitute obstacle