The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-20
UNIr@ STATES POSTAL G JUDE.

\
Sesy.a.ND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER,
= To sAO,o ~hat is done, and ,Okai should be done,
~ IN 4]ics.=ssT
ECussnrs NJ fsosUS' Editors and PropretOrs.
Terms. -s"Ihe UpiIsd States Postal Guide and
ciel duertissr,s soriai,i,,g about 80 sppe,-royal
oetauo pages is pubiishsa ,msoMtiy for ONE DOL
Ian osLy, nv anauass saaynbIe in ndpance-or ire
dollars for STA copsXoTdered at any sne time
EFARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which waRow embark, and
Of which this paper is ut once the commencement,
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, has
for its aim no less i'urfNe, thAn to impart in
struction, in the general and detail 10 the Officers
and Agents of the AMERICAN public, in respect both
to their duties other rghtssAaJ 10 make them,
and the people at large acquainted tAe organ
ization, decisions and Acton of the Executive de-
partments Of their Govornment. There has hith-
erto Leen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of Information Of this kind. The
publication Of the Laws and the issue Of instruc-
tons, or less comprehe nsive and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence of the construction OF those
Laws, as applied to particular cases, land of details
and illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too volupinous,
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
marty 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 the despatch Of the public business which
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 provide for these necessities.
If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary offices more uniform, methodcal, 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 personal interest question what
ever.
| 1t is known 10 most Of those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
tor of the Post-Office Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postmasers 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 latters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most OF the
+, preser incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been assslduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Pos-Oflice and
other branches of the public business. 1t 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 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 our paper, as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments,
all the orders, notices and changes issued made
| by them during the preceding month. Tables of
] Post Offices and compilations Of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. 1t is a
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 no longer in operation,
and offices in operation which not in the tables.
| At this time there are 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 or regulations,
| of which many postmasters 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
will furnish the additions corrections and modif-
| cations made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to posmasters full and
| exact information upon both subjects, up TO and
| for time being. How much Of the presen, misdi-
rection, remailing, doubt, confusion, error, and
| imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
IF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided, and for which we engage, every inte-
| GENT postmaster can estimate for HIMSELF
These advantages alone and independently Of all
1 others, are worth many times the price charge
| for the paper, and viii, 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 syslem--at once
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 intended in
| respect TO them. Notices of the decisions OF the
, Supreme Couit, in cases turning upon questions
Of official duty national interest," will find place
in this papsr.
merely to postmasters and other officers Of the
Government, but to all other citizens who give at
ention to the affairs of the nation and the progress
and development of the untry, will embrace in a
condensed form the matters submitted to, or arls
ing in Congress At each session vast deal Of
| valuable Information is communicated TO Con-
yress, by the several departments and their subor
! dinate bureaus, and profound ard comprehensive
reports are made by committees Of both Houses.
| But the grea, mass of the community know moth
| ing of the contents Of those documents and
| 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-
lives which at once shows the impracticability OF
their 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 an easy index
TO those interested whenever II Is found desirable
To obtain and examine the document at large.
There is a large field before us, the materials are
annie Ii will be jealous care 10 collect and
arrange them in the proper form. We have every
confidence tina, the subscriptions will be ample 10
enable us to accomplish il all. The information
we propose to give, comprehending and confined
to the action OF the Government, is sold, useful,
and 1--WE might almost say necessary TO the Off
cer--,f not to the citizen. 1t rs intended for all
and put at price which can constitute no obstacp