The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-13
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
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PETER U. WAsHrNGToN, 80,
CnAREEs M WMLARD, Editors and Propriefors-
Terms. -" The United States Postal Guide and
tc'at -ddrsrf'ser, containing about 80 sppsr-royal
LAR ONLY, per a'nssns, payable in aduancs-oy. fpe
dollars (or siz copies ordered at any one time
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in 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 it's aim no less a purpose, than to mpart in
sructon, in the general and detail, TO the officer,
and Agents Of the American public, in respect both
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 teen 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, 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 youminous,
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 to
party ends, and to matters Of national policy.
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as 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
pies, 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
lac hal ms re- IN hone lar
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
| If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methodical, 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-Of6ce 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
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
| 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 latters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
present incumbents of the departments, aud 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 Office and
other branches of the public business 1t is with
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 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 or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables of
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
| ment only once in two or three years 1t is u
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 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 presen, msdi-
/ 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 inte-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself
| These advantages alone and independently of all
4
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office, or
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
departments, and the same course is intended in
| respect to them. Notices Of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, in turning upon questions
of official duty national interest, will find place
| in this paper. 4nr m
| A department Of our paper addressing itself not
merely to postmasters and other officers Of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tention 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 il 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
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 shows the impractlcabilIty Of
their dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con-
tain short abrdgmens 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 easy index
to those interested, whenever it 10 found desirable
| to obtain and examine the document at large
There is large field before us, the materials are
ample. II 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 it al. The information
we propose to give, comprehending and confined
to the action Of the Government, is sod useful,
and 1--WE might almost say) necessary to the Off
cer--if not to the citizen. 1t is intended for all,
and put at price which can constitute no obstacle
with any. fiat the end of the year, any subscriber
kul EszAk 49, - - q. ~