The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-20
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OHFICLAL .ADYERTISER.

| UNITED STATES HOSl uCIDE
AND OFFICIAL .ADYERTISER.
IL To show whai is done, md phat should be done
| in office. 4zT
c znEn r. MwAsIrSssOS Editors and proprelors
Terms. % The United Hates Postal Guide and
Official ADVERTISER, containing about 81 Spper-royai
octapo pages, is published Imonthiy for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per a,ntnl, payable in adpanee--or fps.
dollars for sic copies orderedi
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
| The enterprise in whichIwe now embark, and
OF which this paper is at one the commencement,
and sample of the papers that are to follow, las
for its aim no less purpose, than to lmpart in
structon in the general and detail, to the Officer
and Agents of the Americanpubic, 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 Governmsnt.t There has hith- |
erto Teen no vehicle for thl regular and proper
communication of information OF this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instruc
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 voumnous;
and are printed in quantities too small for general
circulation; whilst the debates in Congress and
the commentaries of the press upon their proceed,
| ings, and the proceedings ofthe Executive branch
of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles, address themselves only TO
party ends, and to matters of national policy!
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 hand, Of all, nor if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
Piles, 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 ne
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, m ethodieal, 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 ex
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-Offce Department until the month
of November last; with by far the larger portion
of both postmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, 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.
J He has therefore had the best opportunities foi
understanding the arrangements or business IN al
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry il on. Since his official connection with
the Governmen mt ceased, he iatters himself he has
preserved the respect and regard of most Of tn,
present incumbents of the departments, and is or
becoming terms of intercourse and civIllty witt
them ALL The Junior Editor has been asssiduously
: engaged for several years, in studying, by per
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical ant
daily routine and details Of the Post-Office AM
$ otner branches of the public business IL is will
= this stock OF experience, and these advantages 10
a.. IF dnin iafra i've
;, ton and for imparting minute and illustrative in
4 struction and valuable periodical and statistIca
Information, that we challenge your confidence
! and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th of each month a,
the day for the publication of our paper, so q
! afford time for obtaining from the departments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, mad
by them during the preceding month. Tables
1 Post Offices, and compilations OF the Laws ant
Regulations, are issued by the Post Office Depart
/. ment only once in two three years. ii is
4 matter OF inconvenience and complaint, for which
hitherto there has been no remedy, that IN on,
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 not IN the tables
AT this 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 postmasters and others are wholly
ignorant. We propose TO prevent, for the present.
increase OF the evil OF either KIND, ana from
. the time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections and modi6.
cations, made in each month, and by being filed
and preserved, will afford 10 postmasers 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 intelll
, 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 questions
Of official duty national interest, will find plac
in this papsr.