The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-09

TERMs-" The United States Postal Guide and
Official adpertiser, containing about 80 superroyal
octapo pages, is published monthly for ONE Doll
LAR ONLY, per aiintn, payable IN ddpance--or Jipf
dollars for sir copies ordered.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
OF which this paper is at once the commencement t,
and sample of the papers that are TO follow, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to mpart 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
ization, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments Of their Government. There has hth-
erto Leen 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
uuate in the absence of the construction OF those
Laws, as applied to particuarcas and of details
and illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voumnous,
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circuation 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 TO
party ends and to matters of national polieyt
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves far as 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
ples 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 to supply
this vacuum, and to provide for these necessities.
If we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary offices more uniform, m ethodica, and ey
hall a1se he adj mil frat Jya Of
departments more easy and effective, and thereby
promote the real and substantial interests Of the
country And this we expect to do, to some
tent at Ieast-apart from, and independently to
any party or personal interest or 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-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, ard 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 fatters 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 civty with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
engaged for several years, IN studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
urner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the varisus sources of administrative
tion and for imparting 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, SO as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the ORDERS notices and changes issued, or mad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables
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
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 are no longer in operation,
and offices in operation which not in the tables
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,
INV increase of the evil of either kind and from
the time another issue shall be made our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and moditi
cations, made IN each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
exact information upon poth SUBJECTS, up TO ana
for time being. How much of the present msdi
rection, remaiing, doubt confusion, error, and
imnositon will be saved by the progressive state
NJ full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided, and for which we engage, every intelll-
gent postmaster estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently of all
others, are worth many times the price charge
for the paper, and will, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his office or
q patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
gaiciencv of the whole Post Office system--at once
10 subscribe The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices, decisions, and Instructors
of the War; Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments, and the same course is Intended in
resnect to them. Notices of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon questions
of official duty national interest, will find placs
in this papsr.
yVyHE undersigned, committee republication, on