The southern press., 1852-01-05
UNITED STATES pOsTAIaU,np

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
H. 10 shoc 'ohat Is done, and Whai shoald be done
in oDiee.=sG
CHARLES M. WILLARD, Editors and Proprie'Ors.
TEnMs. =" The United States Postal Guide and
VD'c'" .fareH'ser, containing about 80 sppr-royaI
ocfaro pages, Is published monthly for ONE Dot
LAR ONLY, per annu,n, payable in adpance-oy five
dollars for sir copies ordered.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise In which now embark and
Of which this paper s at once the commencement.
and sample Of the papers that are to follow, as
for its ann no less a purpose, than to .imnart in
struction, 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
lzation, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of Information Of this kind The
IbcatiOn of the Laws and the issue of lnstrur
Iions, or less comprehensive and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly inade-
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.
structons Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress are too voluminous.
and are printed in quantities small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proc eeds
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 policys
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as thew 90 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 whch
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, methodical 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 tho
country And this We expect to do, to some ex-
tent at least-apart from, and independently to
any party or personal Interest or question v hat
| ever.
1t Is known to most OF those to whom this n,
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was AUDI.
tor of the Post-Otfce 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 faters himself he haa
preserved the respect and regard of most Of the
| present ncumbents of the departments and is ON
| becoming terms of intercourse and ciyIlity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssduousy
| engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination the practical and
| daily routine and details Of the Post Office and
other branches OF the public business. IL is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative ac.
ton, and for impartins minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistca I
information, that we 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 made
| by them during the preceding month. Tables Qt
! 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 ope ation
and offices in operation which not in the tables
| At this time there are perhaps 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, md from
the time another issue shall be m tde our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, ani inoiihs
cations, made each month, and by beng Gl, d
and preserved, will afford to postmasers full ard
| exact information upon both subjects, up to and
| for time being. How much of the presen, misli
rection, remailing, douot confusion, error an 4
imposition, will be saved by the ms gressive state
| Of full and exact knowledge, fo' ~heh we haze
provided, and for which we engage. every inteIl-
| gent postmaster can estimate for himself
These advantages alone and independently OF all
others, 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
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office system--at ,nce
| 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 cases turning upon question:
Of official duty national interest, will find place
| in this pap>r.