The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-11
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE.


CHARLES M. Wmnanp Ediiorsan Pyopyietors.
IEw's, ~ The United States Postal Child, and
/ Official .9dperSer," containing abo, 20 srnsyo,ol
oefdro pages, IS published mopihiu t,r oNr po,-
LAR ONLY, per annis"t, payable in adranoe-or irs
dollars for sir copies ordered al any one time
PREPARATORY NOTICE
The enterprise in which we now embark an Il
OF which tins paper rs at once the commencement &,
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, as
| for Its aim no less a purpose, than to impart in-
struction, in the general and detail to the Officer
aud Agents of the American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and 10 make them,
and the people al large, acquainted with the organ
ization, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hlt
erto Keen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue Of instrur
tons, more or less comprehensive, 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. and of details
and illustrations to make the regulations and in
siructions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too youminous
and 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
y.
These publications in their various forms
highly useful in themselves as far they go, and
| some Of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands Of all, norif 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 10 supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
If we succeed. in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methOdcal, and ey
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
tent at least--apart from, and independently OF
any party or personal interest or question what
ever. .sstt T eorr - .--Hrt
| 1t is known to most OF those to whom this pa
| per WILDE sent, that the Senior Editor was Audi
tor of the Post Office Department until tie month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both posimasters 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 ii on Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he hatters himself he has
| preserved the respect and regard OF most Of the
| presei incumbens of the departments, mud is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civiiity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
engaged for several years, IN siudying,by per-
sonoi inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-O5ice and
other branches Of the pebble business. II is with
this stock Of experience, and these advdffages for
reaching the various sources or administ ative &C
ton, and for inpartng minute and ILLUSTRATIVE IA
sruciion, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your conidencl
and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the i 9Th of each month aa
the day for the publication OF our paper, rs to
| afford time for obtaining from The depari nents.
all the orders, notices and changes issued or made
| by them during the preceding month. Tables O
| Post Offices, and compilations Of the Laws ant
Regulations, are issued by the Post Oace Depart
| ment only once IN two or three years. II Is
| matter of inconvenience and complaint, Tor which
hitherto there has been no .remedy, tibet IN one
month from the time of these issues there are of
fees in the tables which no longer IN ope atom
and Offices IN operation which are not iDthe ablesi
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 Populations,
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 modf-
and preserved, will afford TO pos,masters full and
| exact information upon both subjects, up TO and
for time being. How much of the presen, misdi-
recton, renaIling, 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 intei-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself. m
These advantages alone and independently Of all
others, are worth many times the price we charge
FOR the paper, and will, it il hoped, induce every
| postmaster who feels Just pride IN hts office, or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--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 Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest," will find place
! in this pav,r.
| department Of our paper addressing itself not
merely to pustmasters and other officers of the
Governments but to all other citizens who gave at
teuon to the affairs of the nation and the progress
and development of the e'untry, wall embrace in
condensed form the matters submitted to, aris-
ing in Congress. At each session vast deal OF
valuable information is communicated TO Con-
cress by the several departments and their subor-
dnate 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-
t,yes, which at once shows the impracucabiity Of
their dissemination. The ADVERTISER viii con-
tam. short abridgments or analysis of alp these
documents and reports, and the compend will
therefore not only prove exceedingly useful and
instructive in Itself, but will furnish an easyindex
to those interested, whenever 1t is found desirable
TO obtain and examine the document asdarge.
There is a large field before us, the materials are
ample. Ii viii 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 il ALL The information
we pnpose to give compromising and confined
TO tie action Of the Government, is sol,d. useful
and 1--WE might almost say) necessary to the Off
cer--lf not TO the citizen. 1t is intended for all,
and put at price which can constitute no obstacle