The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-17
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL ADVERTISERS

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
To show ,ohat is done, and ,ohat should be done
ia o1ics.=s1s
PETER e WAsHrscroN, Editor, and proDyi.,ors
CHARLES nj. WILLARD,
TERMS. S." The United States Postal Guide aud
official .4drertiser' containing about 30 spper-royal
octapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per annum, payable in adpance---or fus
dollars for sic copies ordered.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which embark and
OF which this paper is at once the commencement {,
and a sample of the papers that to follow, las
for its ann no less purpose, than to lmpart in
struction, in the general and detail, TO the Officer
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
their duties and their rights, and to make them
and the people large, acquainted with the organ
izaton, 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 instruc
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 i'm
structions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too volumno,ts
and are printed in quantities too small for general
the commentaries Of the press upon their proceed
ings, and the proceedings of the Executive branch
Of the Government, besides turning mostly upou
general principles, address themselves only 10
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
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 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 e.
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 east--apart from, and independently to
any party 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-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. lie 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 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-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
Iatat ,x,Et t, 4
o.ner branches of the public business. 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &c
ton, and for impartng minute and Illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and Statistical
information, that we challenge your conidenc,
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 and changes issued or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables 81
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 a
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 perhaps over three thousand
offices Of the two descriptions. In like manner
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 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, remailing 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 viii, it ia hoped, induce every
postmaster who feels 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 considerations apply t o
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 questions
of official duty or national interest, will find pac
in this paper.