The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-18
THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.

= "
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
3 10 soic toha is done, and rhaf should be DONE
in 41ice.-&T
CHARLES M N Wsss' Editors and Proprieiors
Terms. SO The Uniied States Postal Guide and
hc'al .adcertissr,' containing about SO sppe-roya
ocfauo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per amman, payable IN adrance---or fire
dollars for sir copies ordered a! any fine.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
| The enterprise in which we now embark, and
Of which this paper is at once the commencement,
and II sumpe of the papers that are to follow, has
for it's aim no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail 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
ization, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments Of their Government. There has hith-
erto teen 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 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 yoluminous,
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed
ngs, and the proceedings Of the Executive branch
Of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only 10
party ends, and to matters of national policy.
These publications in their various forms
highly useful in themselves far 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.
If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform methodicaI, 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 question what
: ever.
: 1t 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
ell of both poslmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. Heen
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
. many years previously, had been, first in the War
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury.
e 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 fatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
. preset incumbenis Of the departments, and is
. becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousIy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
- daily routine and details of the Post-Olfice and
!. other branches Of the public business II is with
this stock OF experience and these ADVANTAGES for
" reaching the various sources of administrative
Or IN 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 or 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
D by them during the preceding month, Tables of
D Post Offices, and compilations Of the Laws and
} Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
D nent only once in or three years. |, is n
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
fees in the tables which longer ope alton,
and Offices in operation which are not In the tables.
At this time there are perhaps three thousand
,fiices of the two descriptions In like manner
avs have been passed and regulations established
since the issue of the las, volume of regulations.
= If which many postnasers and others are wholly
gnorant. 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 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 misd
reciion, remalling, doubt, confusion, error, and
} imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
D Of full and exact knowledge, for which we have
D provided, and for which we engage, every Intelli
} gent postmaster can estimate for himself
D These advantages alone and independently of all
others, worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and will, ii in hoped, induce every
D postmaster who feels ust pride in his Office or
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
D efficiency of the whole Post Office sysem--at once
3 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 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 pap<r.
nj A department of paper addressing itself not
4 merely to postmasters and other officers of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
tenton the affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development of the {, untry, will embrace in a
condensed form the matters submitted TO, arts
ing in Congress- At each session vast deal Of
[ valuable information IA 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
7 ing of the contents Of these documents and re-
E ports, except the brief notices Of them, which
S from time TO time appear m the public papers
J The standing number printed of each document
) and report, is only twelve hundred in the Senate.
and fourteen hundred in the House Of Representa-
! tves, which at once shows the impracticabity OF
\ their dissemination. The Advertiser will con-
tain short abrdgments or analysis of all these
6 documents and reports and the compend will
. !. al
! instructive in itself, but will furnish easy index
to those interested, whenever it s found desirable
8 TO obtain and examine the document at large
There is large field before us, the materials are
, ample Ii will be our jealous care 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, comprohendng 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 can constitute no obstacle
With any Mt he end the wear an ,ber