The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-19
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
a. To shoic Uha is done and ,ohat ,bo,Id n. dons
p - -, IN office ,=4Is
ItrtR u. WAsHrsGToN,
CHARLES M. WILLIAM, Editors and Propr'stors
IEhns.-" The United States Postal Guide and
QDtciai Iduertiser, containing about 10 .oeo,,oI
ocfapo pages, IS published rnonthiv s,r onr.poI
LAR ONLY, per anntn, payable In adpanr,-or fine
dollars for sir copies ordered.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which now embark. and
| Of which this paper is ut once the commencement,
and sample of the papers that to follow / as
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail to the Officer
and Agents fthe 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 Leen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of Information Of this kind The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of instruc
tons, 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 voluminouss
and 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 only 10
party ends, and to matters of national policyi
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
ples for the despatch Of the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect to the incumbent him.
self, the department or bureau under which he
acts. We shall make an honest effort 10 supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
| Ii we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methodica, and ex
act we shall make the administrative duties Of thu
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
any party 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-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. HI 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
| who carry it on. Since his official connection with
i 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 asssiduouay
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonnl inquiry and exarnination the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Offce and
other branches Of the public business. IL is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &C.
tion and for impariing minute and illustrative in
structon, 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 Departmental.
all the orders, notices and changes issued or mad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables or
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 of
fees in the tables which no longer in operations
and Offices in operation which not in the tabIes
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,
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 postmnsers full and
| exnci information upon both subjects, up TO and
for time being. How much Of the present misdi !,
rection, remsiling, 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 lntelll-
| 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 is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels a just pride in his office
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system-at once
to subscribe The same considerations apply &c
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction.
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, state ana interior
respect to them. Notices of the decisions OF the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty national interest, will find place