The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-09
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

| STATES
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
~ To shOO Wha is done, aud 'ohat should be done
ia office IS ~
PETER G. WAsHrEGroS, ~,
CHARLEs M WILLARD, Editors aud Perpetrators.
TERMs. =" The United States Postal Guide and
D'eat Hduertiser," containing about 80 spper-royaL
oefapo pages, Is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per an'',tm, payable in adpanee-or five
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, las
for it's aim 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 TO make them
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
lzaton, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hth-
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 at intervals
more or less extended have proved wholly made
auate, in the absence of the construction or 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 voluminous.
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
general principles, address themselves only to
marty ends, and to matters of national polieyy
; These publications IN their various forms
highly useful in themselves as far as they CO. 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
can render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect to the incumbent HIM
| self, or the department 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 eY-
tent at least--apart from, and independently to
any party or personal interest or question what
ever.
3 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 Office Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
l of both postmasters and contractors, he has had
a direct intercourse, in person by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
AZ many years previously, had been first in the War
l. Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury
He has therefore had the best opportunities for
&c understanding the arrangements OF business in all
T. the departments and being acquainted with those
who carry 1t on. Since his official connection with
is the Government ceased, he hatters himself he has
OF preserved the respect and regard OF most Of the
i'll present ncumbents of the departments, and is on
he becoming terms of intercourse and civIhty with
them all The Junior Editor has been assslduouJly
I'M engaged for several years, in studying, by per
All sonui inquiry and examination, the practical and
of daily routine and details of the Pos-Olfce anL
other branches Of me public business. 1t is with
this stock OF experience, and these advantages fo
reaching the various sources of administrative &C
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
81 gI.lIa
and solicit your support and patronage.
20 We have fixed upon the 18th OF each month as
,y the day for the publication of our paper, to
., afford time for obtaining from the departments
M all the orders, notices and changes issued or made
n by them during the preceding month. Tables
.,s Post Offices and compilations of the Laws and
10 Regulations, issued by the Post Office Depart
vn ment only in two or three years. IL is a
No. matter of inconvenience and complaint for which
;,s hitherto there has been remedy, that i'm one
month from the time Of these issues, there are of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation
Il aud offices in operation which are not IN the tables
III At this time there perhaps three thousand
. offices of the two descriptions. In like manner
laws have been passed and regulations established
nu since the issue Of the last volume Of regulations
W of which many postnasters and others are wholly
10 ignorant. We propose to prevent, for the present
Gu any increase of the evil of either kind, and from
rs the tiihe another issue shall be made, pape
ga. will furnish the additions, corrections and modif
" cations made m each month, and by being filed
r. and preserved will afford to posmasers full ana
no exact information upon both subjects, up to and
'gs for time being. How much Of the present misdi
- rection, remaing, doubt confusion, error, anc
OF mpostsn, will be saved by the progressive stat,
of full and exact knowledge, for which hay,
IN provided and for which we engage, every lntellr
nm cent postmaster can estimate for himself.
X These advantages alone and independently Of al
us others are worth many times the price we charge
Rf for the paper, and will 1t is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office o.
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, an,
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system--at ono
TO subscribe. The same considerations apply {,
n, the orders and notices, decisions and instruction
OF the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departnents and the same course Is intended ~
respect TO them. Notices Of the decisions of IN,
ers Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question
en- of official DUTY or national interest will find pla,