The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-22
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
.a.ND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
10 To show chat is done, aud whaa should be done
in c6cs.-su
PETER e. WAsHrNaToN, rs;,ox > p.o..;., .i
CHARLES M. WILLARD, "A''o"""" TYP ''''''i
Terms. -" The United States Postal Guide and
Official aduertiser" eoieiriag about 80 svps,-royal
octave pages, Is published moNthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per snnu'n, payable in advanos--or fire
dollars for sir copies ordered
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark and
Of which this paper is ut once the commencement,
and sample of the papers that are to follow, las
for it's aim no less a purpose, than to impart 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
ization, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information of this kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instruc
lions, more 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
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too vouminous.
and printed in quantities too small for 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 polieyl
These publications. in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves far they go, and
| some Of them Indispensable; but there is much
that do not reach the hands OF all, if they did,
| do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
| r,lp he of 40 cts
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 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 aud substantial interests of the
country And this we expect to do to some ex
l tent at least-apart from, and independently to
any party or personal interest or question what
ever.
It 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. 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 hatters 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 asssiduousIy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per.
7 sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
ouner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages FOL
reaching the various sources of administrative &c
!, ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative 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 day for the publication of our paper, 10 as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued mad,
: by them during the preceding month. Tables a
! 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 on,
{ month from the time Of these issues, there Of
fees in the tables which no longer in operation
and Offices in operation which are not IN the tables
At this time there perhaps over three thousand
offices of the two descriptions. In like name
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
, anv increase Of the evil of either kind, and from
the time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modif
, cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to posmasters full ant
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
, for time being How much of the present misdi
rection, remang, doubt, confusion, error, anG
imposition, will be saved by the progressive STATE
: of full and exact knowledge, for which we hav,
provided, and for which we engage, every inteli
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently Of al
others, are worth many times the price charg.
for the paper and will, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels just pride in his Office OF
patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system-at once
, to subscribe. The same considerations apply "a
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 turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest," will find plac
in this paper.