The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-12
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
III 10 show what is done, aud what should be done
in cDice..sU
PETER It. WAsHrNGroN, p,,,, y
CHARLES M. WILLARD, { Ha"o'sa"" rrop''etor''
Terms" The United States Postal Guide aud
Official ADVERTISER, containing about 80 spper-royai
Ocfapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per annsnl, payable in adpasce--or Gpf
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, las
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents ofthe American public, in reapect both
to their duties and their rights and to make them,
and the people at large, acquainted with the organ
Zation, 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 instrur
tons, or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence or the Construction or 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,
ngs, 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 pocys
These publications in their various forms are
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, methodical and ey
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
tent at least-apart from, and independently to
any party or personal interest question what
ever.
1t is known to most Of those to whom this pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was Aud,
tor of the Post-Office 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
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 ali
| the departments and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he fatters 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 all The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical ant
daily routine and details Of the Post-Offce ant
otner branches Of the public business. 1t is will
this stock OF experience, and these advantages 70
reaching the various sources of administrative nc
ton, and for mparting minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we 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, so as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the ORDERS notices andchanges 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 q
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that i'm 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 nave been paSSeu anu 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 modif
cations, made in each month, and by being ilet
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full AM
exact information upon both subjects, up to ant
for time being. How much Of the present msdi
rection, remailing, doubt, confusion, error, ant
imposition, will be saved by the progressive stat
Of full and exact knowledge, for which we hav.
provided, and for which we engage. every inteIll
gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
These advantages alone and independently of al
others, are worth many times the price we 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, ant
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at ono
to subscribe. The considerations apply t,
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interio
departments, and the same course is intended i,
respect to them Notices of the decisions Of tn
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question
of official duty national interest, will find pac
in this papsr
TIME undersigned, a committee Of publication, o,
IL the part Of the Muscogee and Russell Agricul