The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-01

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
10 TO show phat is done, and uhat should be done
in o6ice.=ET
ca. sh wA W Editors and Propretors.
TERMs.- TIE United States Postal Guide and
Official .ddpertiser containing about 80 spper-rouai
octapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per amman, payable in adpance-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 are to follow, as
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-
partments Of their Government. There has hith-
erto Ieen vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information Of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instrur
tons, 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
| structions ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voluminots
and printed in quantities too small for general
| circuation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of thepress 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 polieyy
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 thew did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
pies, 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 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 ethodica, 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 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-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 years previously, had been, first in the Wer
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury.
He has therefore had the best opportunities fol
understanding the arrangements Of business in ali
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry it Since his official connection with
the Government ceased, he iatters 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 Post-Ofice aud
olner branches of the public business. Ii is with
this stock OF experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative &C
ton, and for imparting minUe 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, as to
afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or mad,
by them during the preceding month Tables G I
| 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 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 not in the tables
At this time there are perhaps three thousand
Offices of the two descriptions. In like manner
laws nave Oeen passeu anu 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 paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modifii
cations, made in each month, and by being fled
and preserved, will afford to postmasters full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
for time being. How much Of the presen, misdi
rection, remailing, doubt, confusion, error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive stat,
Of full and exact knowledge, for winch we hayi
provided, and for which we engage, every inteh
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, il is 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 same considerations apply 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 question
Of official duty national interest, will find plac
in this papr.