The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-31
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL .ADYERTTSER

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
~ To shoo ,ohat is done, aud ,cAat should be don
in Q0fce.-En
CHAnIEs M. W,IIAxp' Edis0rssnd ProprietOrs.
TERMs. -" The United States Postal Guide a.,d
Official Advertiser" containing about 80 svperroyai
octaOo pages, is published monthly }br ONE poL-
LAR ONLY, per amman, payable in aduas,ce--or tUs
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, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and gents of the American public, in pect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them,
and the people large, acquainted with the orgun-
ization, 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 lnstruc
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 voluminous.
anu printed III 100 6t1uli IOT 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 TO
party ends, and to matters of national poieya
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, 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 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 ethodcal, and ex
act, 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 to
any party or personal interest question what
ever.
1t ia known to most Of those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor AUDI
tor of the Post-Office Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both postn,asers and contractors, he has had
direct Intercourse, in person or by letter. He
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 fol
understanding the arrangements or business in all
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry il on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he Aatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
present ncumbents OF the departments, and is on
becoming terms Of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sona inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details Of the Post-Offce and
uener branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock OF experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &C
ton and for importing minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
that we challenge ynnr confdenc,
and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th Of each month as
the day for the publication of our paper, to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued or mad.
by them during the preceding month. Tables c
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 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 of regulations,
of which many postmasters and others 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 modi6..
cations, made IN each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasters 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-
cent postmaster can 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
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system-at once
to subscribe The same considerations apply o
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 Gasea turning upon question:
of official duly or national interest, will find plac
in this paY.r.