The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-25
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

~ 10 skop what i done, aud ~Aas should be done,
H. in Q0lce.-sU
rErEs q. WAsHrHoreS, Ed;,o,, uaa pro,r;,,oy,.
CHARLEs M. WILLARD, -11''o'' ~" ''P''e'''''
Terms. =" The United States Postal Guide aud
iciai .ddpertiser," containing about 80 srpsrroya
ocfaco pages, 10 published monthiy for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per anHtsas, payable IN adpGace--or five
dollars tor SIR copies ordered at any one time.
PREPARATORY NOTICE
! The enterprise in which we now emirrk, and
of which this paper is ut once the commencement.
and sample Of the papers that are 10 follow, has
for iis aim no less purpose, than to mpart 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 to make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
zation, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partmeuts 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-
lions, more less cosprahsnsfvs, 1pa ~ iaasras
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
strctons Ineligible The valuable documents
annually reported TO Congress, are too voumnous,
and are 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 70
party ends, and n 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
that do not reach the hands Of all, if they did,
| do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
ples 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
,c,s. We shall make an honest effort to supply
his 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-
.ent at least--apart from, and independently Of
my party or personal interest or question what
1 ever. t
| II 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
|nf November last; with by far the larger portion
! IF both postmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years rnce, 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
ine Government ceased, he fatters himself he has
| preserved the respect and regard OF most Of the
present incumbenls of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
hem all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
Engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
,onai inquiry and examination, the practical and
laily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
other branches Of the public business. Ii is with
This stock Of experience, and these advantages fol
reaching the various sources OF administrative ac-
ion, and for importing minute and Illustrative IN
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your confidence
,ud solicit your support and patronage.
I We have fixed upon the 18th Or each month as
the day for the publication of paper, so to
,fford time for Obtaining from the departments,
III the orders, notices and changes issued, or made
! ~ them during the preceding month. Tables Of
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
nent only once in two or three years. Ii is a
| natter Of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been remedy, that in one
month from tho time Of these issues, there are Of
ices in the tables which no longer in operation,
ind Offices in operation which not in the tables.
At this time there are perhaps three thousand
'fices Of the two descriptions. In like manner
avs have been passed and regulations established
since the issue Of the last volume OF regulations,
| If which many postnIasters and others are wholly
gnorrnt. We propose to prevent, for the present,
increase OF tne evil Oh cltneT KIM, anu IIOUl
| he time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modif-
| ations, made IN each month, and by being filed
md preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
.xact information upon both subjects, up to and
| or time being. How much Of the presen. misdi-
ecton, remaining, doubt, confusion, error, and
| mposition, will be saved by the progressive state
lof full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided, and for which engage, every intelli-
| rent 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, il 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
| 20 subscribe. The same considerations apply 70
the orders and notices. decisions, and Instructions
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
| departments, and the name course Is INTENDED in
| 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 paper
| A department Of our paper addressing itself not
1 merely to postmasters and other officers of the
l Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tenton TO the affairs Of the nation and the progress
| and development Of the untry, will embrace IN n
condensed form the matters submitted TO, or arIs-
| ing in Congress. At each session vast deal of
1 valuable information is communicated TO Con-
eress, by the several departments and their eubor
dnate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses.
| But the great mass Of the community know MOTH
J ing of the contents Of these documents and re-
! ports except the brief notices of them, which
1 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.
I and fourteen hundred in the House OF Representa-
lives, which at once shows the impracticabty OF
their dissemination. The ADVERTISER will con-
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 Interested whenever is 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 all. The information
we propose TO give, compromising and confined
IN Ire action Of the Government, IL solid, useful,
and 1--WE might almost say) necessary to the Off
ccr--lf not to the citizen. IL is intended for all,
and put at a price which can constitute obstacle
with any. Fiat the end of the year, amy subscriber