The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-07
THE
UNITED STACES POaTAI ,IrInr

TERns.--" The United States Postal f;,,ia. md
Official advertiser" containing about 81 yper-rouaf
octavo pages, Is published monthly for ONE pot
LAR ONLY. per amman, psyabIs IN adpancs--or fue
dollars for sir copies 0rdsred at amy owe time
PREPARATORY NOTICE
The enterprise ia 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-
sructon, 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
izaton, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of Information Of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue Of instruc-
lions, more or less comprehensive, and ut intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence Of the construction Of those
Laws 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 voluminous,
and printed in quantities too small for general
circulaton 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 AZ far they go, 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
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.
| 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 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-apart 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-Offce 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, and subsequently in the Treasury.
He has therefore had the best opportunities for
unders landing 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 fatters 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 all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
E sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Offce and
other branches Of the public business. 1t is with
thu stock OF experience, and these advantages for
n Thing the various sources Of administrative
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative in
sructon, 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
the day for the publication of paper, MS to
afford time for obtaining from the departments,
all the orders, notices and changes issued, made
by them during the preceding month. Tables of
Post Offices and compiations-of the Laws and
Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t ia 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 are Of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation,
and offices in operation which 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 prevent, for the present,
s 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 modIt-
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, rtmaing, doubt, confusion, error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
OF full and exact knowledge, for which have
provided, and for which we engage. every inteIIi-
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 will it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office or
a 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
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty national interest," will find place
in this paper.
A department of our paper addressing itself not
merely TO postmasers and other officers Of the
Il Government but to all other citizens who give
tenon to the affairs of the nation and the progress
and development of the {, untry, will embrace in
condensed form the matters submitted to, or aris-
ing in Congress. At each session a vast deal of
valuable information is communicated to Con-
gress, by the several departments and their subor
dinate 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 document
and report, is only twelve hundred IN the Senate,
and fourteen hundred in the House of Representa-
lives, which at once shows the impracticabllity 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
TO those interested whenever it is found desirable
TO obtain and examine the document at large.
There is a large field before us, the me- inls are
ample. 1t will be our Jealous care to t0fiect and
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample to
enable us to accomplish il 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 TO the citizen. It is intended for all,
with any. Fiat the end Of the year, any subscriber
shall find that he has not received the full value of
his money, in Intellectual enjoyment and in the
increased light and aid afforded him, for the dis
charge Of his official duties or in exercising by his