The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-28

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND Official ADVERTISER.
III To sho1 what is done, and ,chat should be don
in oDice.~EU
cn.ss NJ X W,,ssr Editors snd Proprietor,
T.a.. ~ ~ .1'
OFFICIAL Advertiser, containing about % srpsr-royai
octapo pages, is published monthly Jtbr ONE Doll
LAR ONLY, per annas, payable IN aduance--or fps
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 to follow, tas
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart in
sruction, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents ofthe 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 Eeen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind. The
publication Of the Laws and the issue Of lnstruc
ticns more or less 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
circuIation whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries Of the press upon their proceeds
ngs, and the proceedings of the Executive branch
of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only to
marty ends, and to matters of national policyy
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, if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
pies, for the despatch Of the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
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 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 we expect to do, to some
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 pa
per will be sent, that the Senior Editor was AUDI.
tor of the Posl-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 foi
understanding the arrangements of business in ali
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry il on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he fatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
preset incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civiity with
them ALL The Junior Editor has been asssiduousy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Ofice and
~, In Il. al
this stock OF experience, and these advantages for
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, so to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the ORDERS notices and changes issued, or mad.
by them during the preceding month. Tables q
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
matter Of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been 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
lava have been passed and regulations established
Of which many postmasers and others are 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 modf.
cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasers full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being How much Of the present niisdi
rection, remang, doubt, confusion, error, and
will be saved by the progressive state
OF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
provided and for which we engage, every intellI-
gent 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, it is hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels a just pride in his office or
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 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 placf
in this paprr.