The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-08
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.


AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
IzTo sho,o ,ohat Is done, and ,ohat should be done
in o6ice.=EI
PETER g. WAsHrNeToN, Editors and Propristors'
CHARLES M. WILLARD, 0''a" " 'op' '''0''.
TERMS. -" The United STATES Postal Guide and
Official .4dpertiser," containing about ~ spper-royai
octavo pages, is published monthly yor ONE DOL
| LAR ONLY, per AMMAN, payabte IN GdUance-0r tuf
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 lmpartin-
structon, in the general and detail, to the Officer
land 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
izaton decisions and action of the Executive de-
| partments of their Government There has hith-
erto Leen no vehicle for the regular and proper
| communication of information, OF this KIND. The
publication of the avs aad the issue Of instrur
lions more or less comprehensive, and at intervals
| more or less extended have proved wholly made
ouate in the absence of the construction Of those
Laws as applied to particular cases, and of details
| and Illustrations to make the regulations anu IN
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annuallyreported TO Congress, are too voumnousi
and are printed in quantities too small for general
| circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed
ines and the proceedings of the Executive branch
| Of the Government, besides surnng mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only TO
marty ends and to matters of national policy
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they go, and
! some Of them Indispensable; but there is MUCK
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
| hath in reg incumbent
| 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, methodlcal, ana eS
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.
II is known to most OF those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that tie Senior Editor was Audi
| tor of the Post-0fce 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 slnce and Tor
| many wears previously, had been, first in the War
| Department ard subsequently in the Treasury.
| He has therefore had the best opportunities to
understanding the arrangements OF business IN ali
the departments and being acquainted with those
who carry il en-. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he latters 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 civilIty with
them al The Junior Editor has been asssduouSly
engaged for several years, in studying, by per.
| sonal inquiry and examination, The Practical and
daily routine and details OF the Post-O.fce and
otner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock OF experience and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative nc
tion, and ioI Importing minute and lias.rStiys IN
struction and valuable periodical and Statistical
information, that we challenge your confidence
| and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th OF each month as
the dsy for the publication Of our paper, 10
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the ORDERS notices and changes issued, madt
by them during the preceding month Tables CT
| Post Offices and compilations Of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. IL is q
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 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 or regulations
| Of which many postmasters and others are wholly
| ignorant We propose TO prevent, Tor 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 modf,,
cations, made in each month, and by being fled
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.
/ rent 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, il is hoped, indsce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office or
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency Of the whole Post Office sysieni--ht once
| 10 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 tn,
1 Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question:
of official duty or nationalintereei, will find pac
4 in this paper