The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-08
4 THE y
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
AND OFFICIAL .aDVERTYSER. -l
IL 10 show ohat l. done, and phat should be done,
IN qffce.-kU t
caAs.s. NJ 1W n1ssp Editor, sna Ppepris.or,.
Terms. The United States Postal Cttide and
Official .ddpettser," containing about 80 svper-rouaL
octspo pages, Is published snonhIy Jer onx por-
I:An ONLY, Per amman, payable IN advenee-er vs
dollars for aE copies ordered Al any o~e hms
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
Of which this paper is at once the commencement,
and sample Of the payers that are to follow, a.
for its aim no less a purpose, than to impart
structon in the general and DETAIL 70 the Officer.
and Agents ofths American public, in respect bot
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
Of their Government. There has hith-
erto teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
Of information Of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instruc-
lions, more or 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 vdnminous.
and printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
The commentaries of the press upon their proceeds
ngs, and 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 policy.
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves 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
ples for the despatch Of the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
nj In he nci m en-
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, ~ m
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-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, and subsequently in the Treasury
He has therefore had the best opportunities 70
understanding the arrangements Of business in a
the departments, and being acquainted with thoss
who carry it on. Since his official connection wit
the Government ceased, he aatters himself he h.,
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of IL
present incumbents of the departments, and is
| becoming terms of intercourse and civility wiz
them all The Junior Editor has been asssiduousl
| engaged for several years, IN studying, by pei
suaaI iuauiry sad examination, the practical ano
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice ans
other branches Of the public business. II is witt
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 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, made
by them during the preceding month. Tables of
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. II 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 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 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 postnasters and others are wholly
ignorant. we propose 10 prevent, IOr 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-
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, remaiIing. 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 iQ
These advantages alone and independently Of all
others, worth many times Che price we charge
for the paper, and will, it il 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 to
the orders and notices, DECISIONS and instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments, and the same course il intended in
respect to them. Notices of the decisions Of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest, will find place
III this papsr.
A department of ouxpaper 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
and development of the untry, will embrace in
condensed form the matters submitted to, or aris-
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal of
valuable information is communicated to Con-
RresS, ny TIC HcFctui ueputticnso anu tHeu SuooA~
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-
tives, which at once shows the impractcability OF
their dissemination The ApvERrisER 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 II is found desirable
TO obtain and examine the document Al large
There is large field before US. the materials are
ample 1t will be our Jealous care to collect and
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample to
enable us to accomplish II all. The information
we propose to give, comprehsnding and confined
to the action Of the Government, il solid, useful,
and 1--WE might alnaost say necessary 10 the Off
cer--f not 70 the citizen. Il il Intended for ALL