The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-17

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL .4DYERTISER
H. To shoe phat is done, and rhat should be done
in offee.-sU
cu.aS ~ NJ H W Editors and Perpetrators
TERMS" The United States Postal Guide and
Official 9dpertiser, containing about 32 spper-royai
octauo pages, is published monthly J6r ONE Doll
LAR ONLY, per annun,, payable IN adraace-or Jius
dollars for sic 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 m
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 Leen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information Of tins Kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instrur
tons, 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 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 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 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 much
that do not reach the hands OF all nor if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
ples for the despatch Of the public business which
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 ex
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 expect to do, to some ev
tent at least-apart from, and independently to
any party 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 Audi
tor of the Post-Oiiice 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 foi
understanding the arrangements Of business in al
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he flatters 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 civlity with
them all. The Junior Editor has been assslduousy
engaged for several years, IN studying, by per-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Offce and
u.ner branches of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative
ton and for impartng minute and Illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that challenge your confidenc,
and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th OF each month as
the day for the publication of our paper, 80 as 10
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued or mad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables al
| 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
month from the time of these issues, there Of
fees in the tables which are 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 manner
laws have been passed and regulations established
| 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 postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being. How much of the present misdi
rection, remaiing, 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 intel
| gent postmaster 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, indHce every
postmaster who feels a 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 to
the orders and notices, decisions, and Instructions
| 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, viii find plac