The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-19
UNITED STATES POSTAL g UlDE,
AND OFFICL9L .4DYERTYSER

in qtfce.=sI
CHARLES M H W"sssD Editors and proprsf,.
Terms. --"The United States Postal Guide and
<Wic'af 7drertser containing about 80 syper-royai
ocfaro pages, Is published monthly for ONE Dol
LAR ONLY, per a,,n"m, payable in adpance-or fve
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one time.
sg 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 its ann no less purpose, than to mpart in
struction, in the general and detail to the Officer,
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
zation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Leen 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 al intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence or 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 voiumihous
and printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress ard
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
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful In themselves as far as they go, and
some of them Indispensable but there is much
that do not reach the hands Of all, 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
acts. We shall make an honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
| in rdorip fhof i,ur ffouo inf ba
primary Offices more uniform, metbodical 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 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 10 whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
tor of the Post-Of'ce Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postmasters and contractors, he has had
direc, intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many wears previously, had been, first in the War
Department, and subsequently in the Treasury.
He hss 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 natters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most OF the
preseit incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms Of intercourse and cviity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been aGssiduousy
engaged for several years, in studying. by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
other branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock OF experience and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative
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
the dag for the publication of our paper, so M to
| afford time for obtaining from the departments,
all the orders notices and changes issued or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables o.
Poet Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t 10
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been remedy, that in ons
month from the time of these issues there are Of
fees in the tables which no longer in ope alton
and Offices in operation which not in the tables
| At this time there perhaps over three thousand
otficea 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 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 modih-
and preserved, will afford to postmasers full and
| exact information upon both subjects, up and
| for time being. How much of the presen, misdi-
rectioa, remaIlIng, doubt, confusjons error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
| Of full and exact knowledge, for which We have
prov ided, and for which engage, every intelli-
| cent postmaster estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently OF all
others, are worth many times the price charge
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
| postmaster who feels Just pride in his Office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system---at once
| to subscribe. The 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 10
| 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
! in this palsr.
A department OF our paper addressing itself not
m ereIv TO postnlasters and other officers of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
,enton 10 the affairs of the nation and the progress
and development of the Z, untry will embrace in u
condensed form the matters submitted to, or aris-
ing in Congress. Al each session vast deal OF
valuable Information is communicated to Con-
cress, 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 re
ports, except the brief notices of them, which
from time TO time appear IN the public papers
The standing number printed of each docume {
and report is only twelve hundred IN the Senate,
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
sives, which at once shows the impractcabiIity OF
thcir dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con-
tain short abrdgments 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 is found desirable
to obtain and examine the document at large.
There is large field before us, the materials are
ample Il will be 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 IL all. The information
we propose to give, compromising and confined
to the action OF the Government, is SOLID, useful,
and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the Off
cer--if not the citizen. II is intended for all,
and put at price which constitute no obstacle
with any Fiat the end Of the year, any subscriber