Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-29
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


prices for board about twenty per cent, while
most of the rest have lately adopted the Euro
pean or restaurant system. That is, they have
added restaurants to their respective establish
ments, wherein one having room in the house
may dine at from forty or fifty cents-if content
with very plain fare-up to ten or twenty dollars,
if desiring luxuries costing them 1.-THE proprie-
tors) their weight in gold. The restaurant is in
addition to the table d'hote, at which no one
can dine without giving due notice of his inten-
ton so to do, in the morning. Atpresent, though
but one or two hundred guests are in the house,
preparations to dine twice as many must neces-
sarily be made, which must be paid for by those
actually dining.
All hotel guests expect, Of course, to be fed
on the Injuries of the season, although it may
cost mint of money to obtain them; while not
a few of them (the guests waste far more than
they consume. No sensible person blames the
hotel Keepers for refusing longer to do a losing
6usiness-for putting up their prices to living
rates The effect, however. must be to induce
thousands who patronise hotels as now generally
conducted, to prefer the European system,
which should be in vogue everywhere, both for
the profit of hotel keepers and the economy and
real comfort of sojourners Though the leading
hotels Of our own city have done fine bust
ness OF late years, twenty persons have adopted
the restaurant system within the last two years
where one lived regularly in that way two
years since. We are by no means surprised at
the recent advance of prices by the New York
hotel keepers, and anticipate that in all direc-
lions over the country that example will ne.
cessarily soon be followed. The next important
hotel built or opened in this city, ten to one,
will be conducted on the European system de-
scribed above.
HE NEW GRANADIAN QUEsTIoS.-The news
received here yesterday of the cession by New
Granada to Britain Of an island in the bay Of
Panama, in settlement of the well-known and 50
long disputed Mcintosh claim, must either CON-
plicate our relations with the former Govern
ment or hasten the peaceful solution of our New
Granadian difficulties. 1t will be recollected
that the United States for some time past has
been endeavoring to acquire an island in that
bay for naval depot, imperatively necessary
for the protection Of our so rapidly expanding
Pacific commerce and other interests in that
quarter. If the island coded to Britain proves
to be the one for which we have been nego-
ciating, (Which, by the by, is not probable,) a
strong Involvement for continuing the peaceful
policy OF our Government towards New Gran
ada in return for the oHtrages we have received
from her will have been swept away. If it be-
as is most likely, a different island, then it
seems to US that the probability of the speedy
cession to US Of the island We require is thereby
greatly increased. Our ardent wish is that the
United States may remain at peace with the
whole world, for all time. Our interests in
that particular quarter are momentarily aug
menting as no where else. Indeed, at this mo.
ment they are second in Importance to our ma
tional interests in and around few other foreign
countries. We know that the Government here
is keenly alive to the necessity Of protecting
and strengthening them, not to the end of terri
torial acquisitions in that direction, but under
the principle which is as imperative upon ma.
tions as on individuals-the principle of self
defence and preservation.
A LETTER PROM JOHN MINOR Boris. THE
lNEvITABLE.-Someo of our readers NAV not
know that, in the canvass in Virginia that ended
with yesterday election, there has been no
little excitement over letter written by the
Hon. VIM. Smith to Mr.. Walker, a prominent
Known othing politician, designed. according
to Mr.. W and Mr. Lewis-to whom it was
exhibited before being returned to its author
to obtain for Mr.. Smith the Know Nothing
gubernatorial nomination against Henry A.
Wise, in 1855. Somehow or other Mr.. Bolts ia
mixed up in the controversy, and publishes
letter with reference to it /; which we print be-
low, as enabling US, while occupying little
space, to present to the Stars readers an intel
ligible and apparently fair exposition of the
controversy over the letter in question:
RICHMOND, May %, 1857.
My Dear Sir-YOur note of this date was re-
ceived this evening, and whilst regret the occa-
sion that imposed upon me the necessity of fur.
nlshing statement of my recollection Of the let
ter Of Gov. Smith, and Of the impression left on
nature do not feel that have a right 10 with.
hold what has come under my observation rela-
tive thereto.
My personal relations with Mr.. Smith have
been friendly and kind from the time We first
formed On acquaintance, and from all indisposi-
ton to mix myself up in any matter, involving
either personal or political controversy, l de,
clined, some ten DAYS since, when applied IN tn
make any statement oil the subject.
GoV Smiths communication in the Alexandria
Sentinel, which you enclose places Won i'm a noxi
uoH "hcn entities you, IN my Judgment, to what
ever confederation may be within your reach. and
takes from me all right to consult alone NV per
sonal inclination or preference
No other alternative, then, being left me- but
that OF observing an obstinate silence which
would leave you to suffer under what appear, 10
ne to be an unjust inputation, or of making the
statement you ask for, proceed to state the cir
them, follows
Sometime, think, in January. 1855, when I
was in the council chamber Of what was then tru-
ly characterized The know Nothing party.-a
very different party, am happy to saw from the
present patriotic American organization was
approached by gentleman then unknown TO me.
but who turned out TO be Mr.. X. + Walker who
placed a letter in my hands, which he requested
me to take home and read carefully and tell him.
when we met again what thought Of IT,
took the letter with lie and read II very care
fully, and whilst will not undertake to give the
language Of the letter in any particular | must
say that the Impression left on nv mind was
that il was designed as argument on the part
Of Gov. Smith TO show that he would be the most
available candidate that could he selected as an
opponent to Mr.. Wise, and especially IL he should
receive the nomination, without being required
To-.