The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-20
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
And OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
III 10 show 'ohat Is done, and ,ohat should be done
- ga 9Dcs.=sH
CHARLrs M. WIN mn.an' Editors and Proprietors
TERms.- - The United States Postal Guide and
O'eiat ADVERTISER, containing about 80 spDey-rovaI
oe'doo pages, rs published monthly for ONE DOL
LAh oNLf' per an'lum, payable IN adpance-or fine
dollars for sir copies ordered
PREPARATORY NOTICE
The enterprise in which we now emhark and
OF which this paper is at once the commencemerf
and sample of the papers that to follow r as
for its aim no less purpose, than to mpnrt in
slruction in the general and detail, to the Officer
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 vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue of Instrur
tons, less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence of the construction or 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 voIuminous.
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
of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves onlv 10
party ends, and to matters of national policy5
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 nor if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam.
pies, for the despatch OF the public business which
can render the discharge of public duty either SAT-.
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
| Ii we succeed IN rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methodlca, 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 ey
tent at least-apart from, and Independently,
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-Ofiice 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
the Government ceased, he fauers himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
present lncumbents 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
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
this stock or experience, and these advantages for
| reaching the various sources of administrative nc
| fnrI rfIp and
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 paper so as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued or mad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables a.
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart-
ment only once in two or three years IL ia n
| matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that i'm one
month from the time of these issues there are off
fees in the tables which no longer in operation5
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 TO prevent, for the present.
any increase of the evil of either kind, and from
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, remang, 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
I.sgl. MAJ t1aaa1 fhap
| for the paper, and will, it is hoped induce every
| postmaster who feels just pride in his Office
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system-at once
| to subscribe. The same considerations apply IL
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction.
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interiol
departments, and the same course is intended in
respect TO them. Notices Of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question:
Of official duty national interest, will find place
IN this paper.