The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-19

s- TO show uhai Is doas, aud rctaf should Je lone
~ q0ies.~A-H
cm.slss M. N W,...s0' Editors and Pyoyrs<4ors
IEsms - The United States Postal C,.ids and
icsa' sadperf,ssr,' containing about ~ suvev-youaf
ocf"po pages, IS Published monthly hr OWE poi
Lar Only Per a'.'''n' payabts in advaaes-or JGrs
dollars for SIR copies ordered
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 as
for lis ann no less purpose, than to impart in
structon IN the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
TO their duties and their rights, and 10 make them
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ.
ization, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
lpartments 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 instrur
t0ns, more or less comprehensive, and ut intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly inade-
q,ate, in the absence OF the construction OF those
Laws, as 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 voIuminous
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 10
party ends, and to 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 il much
that do not 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 which,
can render the discharge of public duty either SAT.
or easy, whether IN respect to the incumbent him
self, or the department or bureau under which he
acts. We shall make honest effort to supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities
Ii 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 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 personal interest 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-Ofice 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 en-
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 flatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
present incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and ciyIlity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
, engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
] | sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
T daily routine and details Of the Post-Ohice and
other branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative acs
ton and for impartng minute and Illustrative in i
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
the day for the publication of 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 or
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
hitherto there has been no remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there are off
fees in the tables which are no longer in operations
and Offices in operation which are not in the tabesa
At this time there 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,
nnv 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 postmasiers full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
| for time being. How much Of the present misdi-
rection, remailing, 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-
| cent postmaster estimate for himself.
| These advantages alone and independently of all
others, are worth many times the price we charge
for the paper, and viii, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, AMI
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at ono,
| To subscribe The considerations apply II
the orders and notices. decisions, and Instruction
of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interio
departments, and the same course is intended in
respect to them. Notices OF The decisions of the
| Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or natloh interest, VIII ma place
in this pag,sr.
| A departnent Of our paper addressing itself not
/ merely TO postmasters and other officers Of the
Government, bat to all other citizens who give at
tenon TO the affairs OF the nation and the progress
and development of the G untry, will embrace in a
condensed form the matters submitted to- or aris-
inc in Congress- At each session vast deal of
valuable information ~ communicated 10 Con-
gress by the several departments and their subor-
| dinate bureaus, and profound and comprehensive
reports are made by committees of both Houses
ri, The great mass of the community know Moth
inc 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 document
and report is only twelve hundred IN the Senate,
and fourteen hundred in the House OF Representa-
,,ves. which Mt once shows the impracticsbility of
their dissemination The ADVERTISER will con-
tain short ahridgments or analysis OF all these
documents and reports, and the mpend will
therefore not only prove exceedingly. useful and
instructive in itself, but will furnish an easy index
70 those interested whenever it is found desirable
TO obtain and examine the documen mt large
There is large field before us, the materials are
ample 1t will be our jealous care TO collect and
arrange them in the prope form. We have every
confidence that the subscriptions will be ample 10
enable us to accomplish IT all. The information
we propose to give comprehending and confined
to the action Of the Government, is sohd, useful
and 1--WE might almost say necessary to the Off
cer--lf not to the citizen II is intended for all
and put at price which can constitute no obstacle
with any. fiat the end of the year, any subscriber