The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-08
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

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UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
= To show ,chat Is done, aud ,ohat should be done
in qDies.~ST
CHARLES Nj. WmIanps Editors and Propietors
TERms. :" The United States Postal Guide and
Ctc'ol .3drertser" containing about 80 srpsrroyai
oetapo pages, Is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per a.aum, payable IN adpa,cs--or fus
dollars for sir 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 are to follow, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
s,ruction, in the general and detail to the Officer
and Agents of the American public in )ect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
! zation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments 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, less comprehensive, and at 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 to make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminol,s,
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, aud the proceedings Of the Executive branch
Of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only 10
party ends, and to matters of national policy1
These publications. in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they CO. 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
plies, for the despatch OF the public business whiclt
can render the discharge Of public duty either saf
or easy, whether III 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
| IL 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 eV
| tent at least-apart from, and independently
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-OAice Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
| of both postmasters and contractors, be has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. He
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many years previously, had been, first in the Wsr
| 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
i the Government ceased, he hatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most of the
preseat 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-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details Of the POst-Office and
other branches OF the public business. tits with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative aca
ton, and for imparting minute and Illustrative
straction, 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 paper, so as 10
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, made
| 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 or three years. 1t is
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 off
fees in the tables which no longer in operations
and Offices in operation which not in the tables6
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 pOStmhbter5 ana Otnerb 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 modifi
cations, made IN each month, and by being fled
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
| for time being. How much of the present misdi ,
rection, remaining, 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 ntelh-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself t3Ii
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
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, AMI
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system-at once
| to subscribe. The same considerations applytr
the orders and notices, decisions, and insructiori
OF the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and lnterloi
departments, and the same course is intendedi in
| respect TO them. Notices of the decisions of the
| Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question:
of official duty or national interest, will find place
| in this paper. a'.A