The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-06

ELLwOOD FISHER
Washinstoa City.
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
I5 TO sbosO schat is done, and soha should Be done,
IN qjice.-EU
PETER It. WAsHrNGToN, Uy,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, Ha"oTs ana rroPrtefors'
TERms.- The United States Postal Guide and
Official Jddverfiser," containing about 80 spper-rovaE
octaso pages, Is published monthly for ONE DOL
Lar ONLY, per amman, payable IN aduanee--or Gue
dollars for sir copies ordered al ony one time.
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, has
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
struction in the general and 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-
partments 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 isSan of inetsac-
tons, more less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
uuate in the absence Of the construction Of those
Laws as applied to particular cases land of details
and illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, aretoo voluminous.
and printed ia 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 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 if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
pAe, 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
self, or this 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 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 rom, and independently of
any party or personal interest or question what
eyer.
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 porlon
of both postmasters and contractors, he mas had
direct Intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and fof
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 oaicia connection with
the Government ceased, he hattsrs 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 civility with
them ali. The Junior Editor has been asssduousiy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sona 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 for
reaching the various sources of administrative ac
ton, and for imparting 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, so as 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 1t is a
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 no longer in operation
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 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 modif
| cations, made in each month, and by being filed
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, 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 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 il 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
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 is intended in
respect to them. Notices of the decisions Of the
Of official duty national interest," will find place
in this papsr. a4t
A department OF our paper addressing itself not
merely to postmasters and other officers of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tention the affairs Of the nation and the progress
condensed form the matters submitted to, ars-
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal OF
valuable information is communicated to Con-
gress, 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 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 nocument
and renort. is only twelve hundred in the Senate,
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
tiyes. which at once shows the impractIcabiity OF
their dissemination. The Advertiser will con-
tain short abridgments or analysis Of all these
documents and reports, and the compend will
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.
There is large field before az, the materials are
ample 1t will be our Jealous care to collect and
no m on, in the urOuAr farm We have every