The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-06
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.

'''"" "'"t u uOHe, iCh0t should be done.
IN eiHce.sST
PETER q. WAsHrNGros,
CHARLEs M. WILLARD, Ge"oTS and Proprieiors.
TERms =" The United States Postal G,dde and
Oe'a' advertiser, containing about 80 spper-Yoyal
octave pages, is published ,nonahhu for orr no,
LAR ONLY, per ann,n,, payable in adpaace-or 6ps
dollars for sir copies ordered at any one time
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 to follow, has
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart IN
struction, in the general and detail, 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
zation, decisions and action of the Executive de-,
partments Of their Government. There has hiih-
erto Teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information of this kind. The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of lnstruc
lions, or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, 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 volumno,;s
and 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 are
highly useful in themselves far they go, and
some of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands Of ALL nor if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
pies, for tho despatch of the public business which
render 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 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 Ieast--apart from, and independently Of
any party or personal interest or question what
ever.
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-OHice 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 1t on Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he fatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
preset incumbents Of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civllity with
| them all The Junior Editor has been asssiduou3ly
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. IL is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative ac-
ton, and for mparting 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 day for the publication of our paper, so to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices andchanges issued, or mad
by them during the preceding month. Tables
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws ana
Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two three years. 1t 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 of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation
and Offices in operation which are not in the tables
At this time there are perhaps 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 posmasters and others are 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
cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to posmasiers 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 have
provided, and for which we engage, every intelli-
gent postmaster estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of all
others, 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 or
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system--at
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 same course is ntendedfn
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 palsr
A department of our paper addressing itself not
merely to postmasters and other officers Of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
,en,on to the affairs Of the nation and the progress
and development of the [, untry, will embrace in
condensed form the matters submitted to, or arIs-
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal OF
valuable information is 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
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-
,ives, which at shows the imprncticab,lity OF
| their dsseminaiion The ADvERrIsER will con-
tain short abridgments or analysis of all these
documents and reports, and the compend will
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
/ mi nm cas- nd
to those interested, whenever il is found desirable
10 Obtain and examine the document at large
There is large field before us, the materials are
ample IL will be our Jealous care 10 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, comprehending and confined
to the action Of the Government, is solid, 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 obstacle
with any Fiat the end Of the year. any subscriber
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