The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-07
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
, To shoio ohat is done, and ,ehat should be done
w. IN Office
PETER u. WAsHrsGroN, ! ~. >,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, H""o's ana rrop'7ef'r''
TERMS. SC The United States Postal Guide and
Official .fdperiser, containing about 20 spDer-ro,aL
octapo pages, is published monthlu for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per annu'n payable in adpance-or five
dollars for sir copies ordered.
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and .
oPwhich 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 impart'in-
structon in the general and detail, to the Officer
and A gents ofthe American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and to make them,
and the people at large acquainted with the organ
izaton, decisions and action of the Executive de-
partments of their Government There has hth-
erto leen vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind. The
publication q the Laws and the issue of instrur
tons, more or less compreh ensive, aud at intervals
more OF ieIa s,4reudcd. have proved wholly made
quale, in the absence Of the construction OF those
Laws, az 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 voluminouss
and printed in quantities too small for general
circuaton; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed.
ings, aud 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 policyS
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves AS far they 60 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 whick
render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect to the incumbent HIM
self, 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 succeed in rendering the functions of the
primary Offices more uniform, methodical, and ex
act, shall make the administrative duties Of tho
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 10
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-Otfce Department until the month
Of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both postmasers 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 for
understanding the arrangements OF business in all
the departments and being acquainted with those
who carry IL on. since his OfnCldl connection with
the Government ceased, he ilatters 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-
sonal inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post Office and
urner branches Of the public business 1t is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative
tion and for imparting minute 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, 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 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 no longer in operation
and offices in operation which not in the tables
At this time there 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
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modIfa
| cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford to postmasers full and
exact information upon both subjects, up to and
| for time being. How much of the present misdi
recton, remailing, doubt, confusion, error and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive
OF full and exact knowledge, for which we have
| provided, and for which we engage, every inte-
| Gent postmaster can estimate for himself.
| These advantages alone and independently of all
others, are worth many times the price 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 ofthe 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 place
in this paY,r
do cd ,,iIIi