The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-03
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
To shoU ,uhat is done, and ,chat should be done
in cDfct.-su
PETER u WAsHrNGToN,( Ed;fo,soud p,on,,;,,or,
CaAaLEs Nj. WILLARD, "" ''p''''0''
Trans The United States Postal Guide and
Qeisi .4drerissr," ee~lsini,.g about 80 srperoyal
sctapo pages, is published monthly for ONE Doll
ds&ssysJor 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, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to impart In
structon in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents of the American public, 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 vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and 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 and in
! structions 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
marty ends, and to matters of national policyS
| 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 :
ia I'll,
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, m ethodlca, and eY
act, we shall make the administrative duties of the
departments easy and effective, and thereby
| promote the real and substantial interests Of the
country And this We expect to do, to
| tent at east--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 was Audi
tor of the Post-Otfice 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 ali
the departments and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased he datters 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 asssiduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Pos-Ofiice and
o,ner branches Of the public business 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages foI
reaching the various sources of administrative ac
ton, and for impartlng minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your confdenc.
and solicit your support and patronage.
/ We have liked upon the 18th of each month as
the day for the publication of our paper, so us to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders .potices and changes issued, or mad,
by them during the preceding month Tables
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 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 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 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 modi,
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, remaling, 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 intelIl-
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 just pride in his office or
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, and
efficiency of the whole Post Office system-at one e
to subscribe. The same considerations apply O
the orders and notices, decisions. u!,d Instructors
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments and the course Is intended in
respect to them. Notices of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, in cases turning upon question:
of official duty or national interest, will find plac
| in this paptr.