The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-28
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL .aDVERTI

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL .aDYERTISER
nj To shoo ,chat is done, and ,chat should be done
IN o0ice.=sI
r.rEn w1 Wn Eaitorsand propristoy..
Terms. 49," The United States Postal Guide aad
Official .7dperiiser, containing about 80 srper-royaI
octaro pages, is published monthly for ONE poL-
LAR ONLY, per ann,sn, payable in adrance---or five
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, az
for it's ann no less purpose, than to impart in
struction, in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents 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-
parments Of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen 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
mere 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 voluminoss
and are printed in quantities 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 10
marty ends, and to matters of national polcyl
These publications IN their various forms
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 thew furnish those rules methods and exam
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
II we succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary offices more uniform, methodcal, and ex
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 ey
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 Audi
tor of the Post-Ofice 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 wears 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 all
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry it on. Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he iatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard Of most Of the
present incumbens of the departments and is on
becoming terms Of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssduously
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonui inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Otfce and
vrner branches Of the public business. tits with
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 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 as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices andchanges issued, or mad.
by them during the preceding month. Tables Gf
Post Offices, and compilations of the Laws and
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
ment only once in two or three years. Ii is
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 longer in operation
and Offices in operation which are not in the tables
Atths 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 postmasers 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 modiG.
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
reclion, 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 engage, every intelIl-
rent 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 systen--at once
to subscribe. The same considerations apply / o
the orders and notices. decisions, and instruction 8
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 national interest, will find place
in this paper
TUNHE undersigned, committee Of publication, on