The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-18
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE

IND OFFICIAL .aDYER TTSER.
AZ To sho,o ,ohai is dome, and chat should be done
IN eDfcc. Il ,a n
PErER q. WAsHrNGroN, p,:,, u.;,
CHARLES M. WILLARD, H""0'S """ i'op'H'"'
TERMS. - The United Siaies Postal Guide and
Official .4dreriiser," containing about 30 srperroyal
octaro pages, is published monthly for ONE DOL
LAR ONLY, per 3nnuni, payable il, adrance--or FIR
dollars for sir copies ordered
PREPARATORY NOTICE
The enterprise IN which now embark, and
OF which this paper is at once the commencement !,
and sample of the papers that are to follow, as
for It's aim 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-
partments of their Government There has hith-
erto Teen vehicle for the regular and proper
communication Of information of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue Of instrur
tons, or less comprehensive, and ut intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
quate, in the absence of the construction Of those
Laws, applied to particular cases, and Of details
and Illustrations to make the regulations and in
lstructions ineligible. The valuable documents
annual reported to Congress- are too volumino,,s
and 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 of the Executive branch
of the Government, besides turning mostly upon
general principles address themselves only to
marty ends, and to matters of national poiicyl
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 they did
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
ples for the despatch Of the public business which
render the discharge of public duty either safe
m en- w tD he hant
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 ethodical, and cx
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 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 Aud,
tor of the Posl-Onice 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 years previously, had been, first in the War
Department, ard subsequently in the Treasury
He has therefore had the best opportunities fol
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 Aatters 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 asssiduousy
engaged for several years, in studying, by per-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-O Office and
ulner branches or the public business. 1t is with
of p Pae nd on MIA f.,r
reaching the various sources of administrative &c
ton, and for imparting minute and illustrative i'm
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your confidence
and solicit your support and patronage.
We have fixed upon the 18th or each month as
the day for the publication of paper, 80 as to
! afford time for obtaining from the departments
| all the orders, notices and changes issued or lad,
by them during the preceding month. Tables q 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 u
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 are 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
l
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 modiis
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 misd
recton remaling, doubt, confusion, error, and
imposition, will be saved by the progressive state
of full and exact knowledge, for which we hav,
provided, and for which we engage. every intelIl.
| gent postmaster 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, indece 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 ono
to subscribe The considerations apply t o
the orders and notices, decisions, and instruction
Of the War, Navy, Treasury, State, and Interior
departments, and the same 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 Dac
in this pap r.