The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-25


Ann OFFTCLaL ADVERTISER.
az To shoe okat IS done, and iohat should be done
IN QDice.-SIE
CHARLES M Il.lfsnp' Editorse''a Preprisiors'
TERms.--" The United States Postal Guide and
Official Advertiser, containing about ~ spper-royai
octave pages, Is Published monthly jor ONE poL-
LAR ONLY, per asai, payable in 0draBce--or fra
dollars for sic 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 TO follow, has
for its aim no less purpose, than 10 impart in
structon, 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
izaton, decisions and action Of the Executive de-
partments of their Government. There has hith-
erto Eeen no vehicle for the regular and proper
communication of information of this kind. The
publication of the Laws and the issue of instrur
tons, more less comprehensive, and at 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
structions Ineligible. The valuable documents
annually reported to Congress, are too voumnous.
and are printed in quantities too small for general
crcuaton 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 10
party ends, and TO matters of national polieyt
These publications in their various forms are
highly useful in themselves as far as they co. 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
hath, nacft t1as,.
self, or the department or bureau under which he
acts We shall make 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 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 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 postmasters and contractors, he has had
direct intercourse, in person 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 official connection with
the Government ceased, he flatters 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-
sonai inquiry and examination, the practical and
daily routine and details of the Post-O Office and
orner branches Of the public business. 1t is with
this stock of experience, and these advantages for
reaching the various sources of administrative ac
ton and for mparting minute and illustrative in
struction, and valuable periodical and statistical
information, that we challenge your confidence
and solicit your support and patronage.
i We have fixed upon the 18th OF each month as
| the day for the publication of paper, so as to
afford time for obtaining from ti..2,aepartments
all the orders, notices and changes issued, or made
by them during the preceding month. Tables oil
| 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 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 tabes-
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,
anv increase Of the evil OF either kind and from,
the time another issue shall be made, our paper
will furnish the additions, corrections, and modif5
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 misdi..
rection, remaiing, 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 intel-
| 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, nduce 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 %
the orders and notices, decisions, and Instructions
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 place
| in this paper.