The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-13
UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
and OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.

UNITED STATES POSTAL GUIDE
AND OFFICIAL ADVERTISER.
n To sho,o ,pAst is done, and eaai should be dome
in c6dee.~sI
PETER G. WAsHrsGros, Ed;,o,,ana p,oo,ieforss
CHARLES M. WILLARD,
TEKMs.---" The United STATES Postal Guide and
Official .7dpertiser" containing about 81 Super-royai
octepo pages, is published monthly for osE DOL
LAR ONLY, per an'asn, payable M adpance-or J'o'
dollars for sir copies ordered
PREPARATORY NOTICE.
The enterprise in which we now embark, and
OF which this paper in at once the commencement,
and a sample Of the papers that are to follow, as
for its aim no less purpose, than to mpart m
structon, in the general and detail, to the Oihcer
and Agents of the American public, in respect both
to their duties and their rights, and 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 lnstruc
tions more less comprehensive, and al intervals
more or less extended, have proved wholly made
auate 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 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 far as they go, and
some of them Indispensable; bur there Is much
that do not reach the hands OF all, if they did,
do they furnish those rules, methods, and exam
ples for the despatch Of the public business which
can render the discharge of public duty either safe
or easy, whether in respect 10 theincumbent hum
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 es
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 Office 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. lie en-
tered the department fourteen years since, and for
many years previously, had been, first IN the War
Department, ard subsequently IN the Treasury
understanding the arrangements Of business in al,
the departments, and being acquainted with those
who carry il 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
becoming terms of intercourse and civllity 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 and
| ouner branches Of the public business IL is with
this stock Of experience, and these advantages ior
| reaching the various sources of administrative &C
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 fxed upon the 18th OF each month ms
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 G.
| 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 -
| matter of inconvenience and complaint, for VIII oh
| hitherto there has been no 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 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
the time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modi .
! cations made In each month, and by being flied
and preserved, will afford to postmasers full end
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 HAYS
provided, and for which we engage, every inelIl-
| cent 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, ahd
efficiency of the whole Post Office system--at once
| to subscribe. The same considerations apply to
the orders and notices. decisions, and instructions
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 turning upon questions
of official duty national interest, will find plac
i'm this pai,tr.