The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-21
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFEICLaL .ADHERTTSER

VIM ELL - "A nS US = AL ~
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
~ To sou sohat is done, and sohat should be done
in o6ice.-SH
cTAasr. nv Wsaso Editors and proprisor,
TERMS" The United States Postal Guide aud
Official .Adrertiser," containing about 80 spperroyai
octapo pages, is published monthly for ONE DOT
LAR ONLY, per annitm, payable IN adcance-or Eus
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
for its aim no less purpose, than to mpart IN
structon, i'm the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rig hts 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 Leen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information of this kind The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instrur
tions more or less comprehensive, and at intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly inade-
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 !.
sructions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voumnous.
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
Tie VI upon their DrOCeeus
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 policyI
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves far they go, and
some of them indispensable; but there is much
that do reach the hands OF ALL nor if they did
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
Piles, for the despatch of the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
or etsy, 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, methodical, and ey
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-OfIce Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
Of both postmnsters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person or by letter. He en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many yeats 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 incumbents of the departments, and is on
becoming terms of intercourse and civility with
them all. The Junior Editor has been asssiduousIy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-Office and
otner branches Of the public business 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative nc
ton, and for impartns minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
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 of
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
matter of inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been 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 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 ana 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 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 tihe being. How much of the present misd
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 nte-
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 once
to subscribe. The same considerations apply %
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 place
in this paper.