Morning journal and courier., 1881-05-23

scarcely any mention of the matter is heart
 on the streets or in the hotels. The battle 1 ground has been transferred to New Yorf 1 State, and those who are here. and who ar' interested in matters political, await patient
 ly the outcome of the struggle. When that
 is known, whatever it may be, the habituef
 of the Capitol will not be surprised, but rather relieved of all thinking on the sub
 ject.
 A prominent Washington divine is about
 to issue challenge to Bob Ingersoll for the
 discussion of the following question 'sThat
 the Christian religion is perfectly adapted to
 the moral, intellectual and spiritual wants of
 mankind, and life maintained and practiced
 in it's integrity will elevate and ennoble the
 human race" Inasmuch as Ingersoll has al-
 ways refused to accept preaching challenges
 this discussion is to be conducted by letter.
 The distinguished divine referred to will
 write letter on the subject. Ingersoll is to
 have two weeks to answer and the preacher
 says that the lecturer must either accept this
 challenge or cease his abuse of Christianity.
 Dr. Boynton says that Mrs. Garfield s mind
 has been perfectly clear to day for the first time since her sickness. Her fever is about the same but her nervous system is i'm proved Though still in precarious condi- tion, she Is almost certain to recover. The report that she is to go to her old home in Mentor as soon as able is not true. She will soon be removed to the Soldiers Home and possibly to some quiet summer resort on the seasLore, probably in Maine.
 The investigation which has been going on for three weeks in the Treasury department in regard to disbursements for contingent expenses though not concluded, has devel- oped some interesting facts and it is feared that it will affect some official higher than Mir. o. L. Pitney, the custodian. It is un derstood that no charges were preferred against Pitney, but the investigation was be- gun in the interest of the new Secretary be coming thoroughly acquainted with all the branches of the department. Hence there is great surprise at the result. No restric- tions have been placed upon the disburse- ments for carpets and other furniture for the departments besides horses, wagons, etc. The contingency has been almost entirely ex- hausted, and this it is claimed is exorbitant For the fiscal year ended June 3O $50, 20, O9O yards of carpet were charged as purchased for the Treasury building alone The stable expenses are also said to have been increas- ing yearly and many goods are found to have been purchased of local retail dealers with out the usual formality of advertising for bids. These are the kind of facts being de veloped by investigation, and as the custodian of such matters must have had orders for large amounts purchased the development of those who were cognizant of his schedule of expenses is anxiously awaited.
 Rev. Dr. A. P. Harrison, chaplain of the House of Representatives, preaching to-day on the revised Testament, regretted that twenty four learned men had been assigned ten years to do what one man could do in one year and much better too if that new edition was a fair sample. He said the only changes made were the substitution of words which weaken the sense and often involve grammat- ical errors and blunders of rhetoric He
 I.l sJ--s, l. -1o Il the editions that have for so many years been their guide and consolation, and the congre. gation pronounced an audible amen.
 The Chief of the Bureau of Statistics re- ports that the values of the exports of do nestle breadstuffs from the United States during the month of April, 1881. were $2O,- 426, O14, and during April, 1880, S22, 7O8, O74 for the four months ended April 30, 1881. $71.575, ,627, and for the four months ended April 30 1880, ST, 4,O6S, 454; for the ten months ended April 30, 1881, 1925. 155,- SO1, and for the same period in 1889, $233,- 844, 3S7.
 The temperance and anti-temperance war developed in an amusing manner in Alexan- dria, Va, to-day. The recent efforts of the temperance people in local option matters de- termined their opponents to make bold stroke A rigid Sunday law was rush-d through the council, and to-day 1t was fully by the anti temperance Mayor. The result was that not only was 1t impossible to buy drop of liquor, but soda water could not be sold any summer drinks. The day was hot one. and as Alexandria has no public fountains or hydrants, and as the pumps are generally out of order, the situa- tion of the thirsty ones was peculiar. In the of the law also three bootblacks were arrested and no medicine could be sold except on a physicians prescription. Sun lay papers found no purchasers, the expla nations of dealers that they contained ex ;racts and comments on the revised Bible proving unavailing. The Alexandria Pica- yu7oe and the Alexandria Journal were issued night. This state of affairs causes considerable excitement in the quiet old town md is likely to prove more interesting.