The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-27
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
H. To sho,o ,Dhat is doae and iohat should be done
in Qtice.@kT
rsrsh o. wH W,s Editors and Proprieior,
TERMS. Sc The United States Postal Guide and
Official .7dperliser" containing about 81 supsr-royal
octaro pages, is published monthly for ONE
LAR ONLY, per anntsm, payable IN adrancs--or Gps
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, as
for it's ann no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and gents 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-
ero Leen no 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
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
structons ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too volumnous!
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 policy1
These publications i'm 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 :
thad Hos IF III Wh
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 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 we expect to do, to some ey
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 was Audi
tor of the Post-Ohice 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 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 incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civIlity with
them all The Junior Editor has been asssiduou,ly
engaged for several years, in studying, by per.
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
x..II of ha pnnt.l o,,I
utner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages fo
| reaching the various sources of administrative &c
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative in
structon 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 us
| the day for the publication of paper, so as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices andchanges issued, made
| 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. 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 are no longer in-operation
and offices in operation which are not IN the tables
At this time there are 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 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 pape,
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modif
cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full ant
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
| for time being. How much Of the present misdi
recton, 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 intelli
Gent postmaster can estimate for himself
These advantages alone and independently Of al
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 OF
a patriotic regard for the credit, prosperity, ant
efficiency of the whole Post Office systemat onc'
TO subscribe. The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices, decisions, and Instructors
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and lnterlo
DEPARTMENTS, and the same course is intended in
respect to them. Notices of the decisions Of tn,
Supreme Court in cases turning upon questions
of official duty or national interest, will find plac
in this paptr.