The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-10
UNITED STATES POSTAL G UIDE

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
III 10 shoD what is done, and ,chai should be done
- IN QDfee.-su
cnaalr. M. WH mIsno Editors and Proprietor,
TERMS. =" The United States Postal Guide ant
e'c'a' '1dperfiser, containing about 30 scper-roya
octapo pages, Is published monthly for ONE DoL.
LAR ONLY, per a'."un', payable in adpancs---or fp'
dollars for sir copies ordered
PREPARATORY NOTICE
| The enterprise in which we now embark and
OF which this paper il at once the commencement
and sample of the papers that to follow, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to impar in,
slruction, in the general and detail to the OIfcer
and Agents of the American public in res )ec both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
ixaton. deeissons and action Of the Executive de-
partments Of their Government. There has hilh-
erto Teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information Of this kind The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of nstrur
tons, more 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 ofdetai
and Illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable document
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminous
and printed in quantities too small for genera
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress ano
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 far as they CO. and
some of them indispensable; but there is much
that do reach the hands Of all nor if they did
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam,
Piles, for the despatch Of the public business whic
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.
If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary offices more uniform methOdical, and exc
act 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
tent at east--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 tbs Senior Editor AUDI
tor of the Post-Otfice Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postmasters and contractors, he has haG
direct intercourse, In person or by letter. He en-.
tered the department fourteen years SINCE and TO
many years previously had been, first in the Wa
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury
He has therefore had the best opportunities 70
understanding the arrangements OF business in
the departments, and being acquainted with thos.
who carry it on. Since his official connection wild
the Government ceased, he fatters himself he
! preserved the respect and regard Of most o. .,.
, preselt incumbents of the departments, and "a.
becoming terms Of intercourse and civility Will,
them ALL The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
i, engaged for several years, In studying, by per-
e sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
y daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
other branches of the public business. 1t is with
of eY hes nd " fnr
reaching the various sources of administrative nc,
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
Q the day for the publication of paper, so as to
I afford time for obtaining from the departments.
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or made
: by them during the preceding month. Tables q
8 Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years Ii is a
: matter of inconvenience and complaint for which
s hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there Of.
fns in the tables which no longer in operations
and Offices in operation which in the tabesi
At this time there are perhaps over three thousand
D 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 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 modif
: cations, madeein 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
/ recton, remalling, 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 lntelli-
cent 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 just pride in his office r
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at once
to subscribe The same considerations apply u
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction.
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, aud lntero.
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 or national interest, will find place