The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-01
THE

ARY /, 1851.
~ THE
\ UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
J IND OFFICIAL .aDYRRTYERR
~ skow sDhs Il done, and soAas should be done,
II qaee.-<U
CHARLES M. WnLAsD, Editors s"d Propristor',
TEsMs. -" The United Ssatas Postal Guide smd
tctal advertiser" containing stsxt 81 sype,-royal
octsOo psgss, = Published ,nomlhiy Jjb~ ONE Dot
LAa oSLx, per sHsum, psyotie in adusnrs--or Gre
do'!svs fsr sir copies ordsrsd Al amy one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
i The enterprise in which we now embark, and
Of which this paper IL at once the commencement,
and sample of tho papers that are to follow, has
for Ms aim no less q 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 make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
ization, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partmcnts 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-
tons, more less comprehensive, and ut intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quatc, in the absence of the construction or those
Laws, as applied to particular cases, and of details
end illustrations 70 mako the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported TO Congress, are too youminous,
and are printed in quantities small for general
Icirculstion, whilst the debates in Congress and
1.-The commentaries Of the press upon their proceed
lings, and the prccesdinss Of the Executive hraash
; Of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only 10
party ends, and tn matters of national policy.
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves far as they go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
~ L. 81 stAk nod - q
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
Piles, 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.
II we succeed in rendering the functions of the
4 primary Offices more uniform, methodcal, and ex-
Il 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
lever. rs
i Il is known to most Of those to whom this pa
: per will be sent. that the Senior Editor Audi
tor Of the Post-Ofice Department until the month
Of November last with by far the larger portion
Of both posImasters 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. frat in the War
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury.
He has therefore had the best opportunities for
3 understanding 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 haters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
present incumbents of the departments, and IL on
Q becoming terms Of intercourse and civility with
n them ALL The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
e engaged for several years, in studyng, by per-
= sonaI inquiry and examination, the practical and
/, daily routine and details of the Post-Office and
other branches Of the public business. II ia with
this stock Of experience and these advantages fol
e reaching the various sources of administrative ac-
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative in
= struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
n 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, made
D by them during the preceding month. Tables of
n Post Offices, and compilations Of the Laws and
D Regulations are issued by the Post Office Depart
\ ment only once in two three years. 1t is a
matter Of inconvenience and complaint, for which
\ hitherto there has been remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there are Of
D fees in the tables which no longer IN operation,
and Offices in operation which not in The tables.
j At this time there perhaps over three thousand
/, offices of the two descriptions. In like manner
laws have been passed and regulations established
D 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 postrasters full and
J exact information upon both subjects. up TO and
4 for time being. How much Of the present misd-
rection, remang, doubt, confusion, error, and
J imposition will be saved by the progressive state
i Of full and exact knowledge, for which we have
D provided and for which we engage, every inteili
cent postmaster can estimate for himself
i These advantages alone and independently Of all
others are worth many times the price charge
for the paper, and will, ii is hoped induce every
postmaster who feels just pride IN his office, or
ia 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.
Il department Of our paper addressing itself not
(, merely to pustmasters and other officers of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tention to the affairs Of the nation and the progress
J and development Of the 6 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-
gress, by the several departments and their subor-
;, dinate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses
Blu, 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
I; from time to time appear in the public papers
I, The standing number printed of each document
, and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
tjves, which at once shows the imprscticabiity Of
|, their dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con-
I 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
10 those intereeted whenever is found desirable
!, 10 Obtain and examine the document at large.