The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-10
PREPARATORY NOTICE.

LAR ONLY, per anrums, payable in adponce--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, tas
for its aim no less a 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 ut large, acquainted with the organ
zation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto teen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information Of this kind. The
publication Of the Laws and the issue of nstruc
TONS more or less comprehensive, and intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly innde-
quate, in the absence Of the construction Of those
Laws, applied to particular cases, and of details
and illustrations to make the regulations and in
structions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, too voluminous
and are 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 TO
party ends, and to matters of national poey5
These publications in their various forms
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, if they did
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 ethodical, and ey
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 east--apart from, and independently to
any partV 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-Ofice 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. lie 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 ali
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he hatters 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 civllity with
them all The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
o.ner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative nc
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 us
the day for the publication Of our paper, so to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the ORDERS notices and changes issued or 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 no remedy, that in one
month from the time of these issues, there are Of
fees in the tables which are 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,
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 modis
cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasers 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 we have
provided, and for which we engage, every intelll-
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of all
others, are 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 once
to subscribe. The same considerations apply 0
the orders and notices, decisions, and instructors
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 nationalinterest, will find plac'
in this paper.
TINE undersigned, a committee Of publication, on
Il the part Of the Muscogee and Russell Agricu-
turaf Society, respectfully invite public attention