Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-11
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

The Guiteau Exceptions-Lawyer Reed
 Finishes His Argument-The Selection
 of Tariff COmmissioners-Oth Items
 of Interest.
 WAsHIN GToN, May 1O.-ColoneI Reed re. sumed his argument on the bill of exceptions in the Guiteau case before the Supreme morning. He contended that the weight of common law authorities sustained his posi- tion that the District of Columbia had no jurisdiction in the murder of Garfield, and also that the testimony of Mrs. Dunmire was incompetent because it related entirely to the period during which marriage relation be: tween her and Guiteau existed. He de- nounced the set of experts as humbugs who could be got to swear on all sides of every question, and made a vigorous argument against the evidence of Dr. Fordyce Barker, of New York After Mir. Reed had finished his argument the court adjourned till to morrow, when District Attorney Corkhill will make the opening argument for the prosecu- tion.
 The meeting of the Biological society at the National Museum on Friday will be de-
 
 Charles Darwin.
 To relieve the embarrassment of the Dis trict commissioners caused by the dead lock, the President will probably detail a signal corps officer tomorrow to act as engineer and commissioner.
 The expeditions that are being fitted out by the signal officer to carry supplies to Lieutenants Greeley and Ray at Franklin Bay and Point Barrow will be the first con- munication with those officers since they reached their posts a year ago. The first of the simultaneous observations in the interna- tional chain of stations, of which these are two, will begin next August.
 resolution was offered in the House to- day authorizing the President to invite rep resentatives of all nations to attend an inter national convention to be held here to fix up- on a meridian for general use in establishing correct standard of time The resolution was referred.
 Senator Edmunds left for Atlantic City to- day, accompanying his daughter, who goes in | search of health. It is probable that the Senator will be absent large portion of the remainder of the session.
 | A letter sent to the House by the Secretary | of War to day shows the expenditure of the l signal service corps to be as follows For | the year 1875, $455, ,2s6; 1876, SHOOTS :; | 1877, $42+, 102 1878; $495,6iO; 1879, $5O4 ,902; 1880, $539, 131; 1881, $593,844 | It had been thought that ex-Senator Eaton, | of Connecticut, who so consistently urged 1 the passage of the tariff commission bill in | the last Congress, would be appointed upon l the commission, but the announcement is l made that he is not only not 8 candidate for | such appointment, but would if appointed l decline to serve. The President has not in- dicated what his purposes are as regards the l selection of the commissioners, but if they are to investigate all the material interests of
 the country and report upon them before De-
 cember long delay in appointing them will 1 not be wise Mr Kasson, it is said, will sug. ! gest the appointment of southern man as one of the commissioners.
 At the brewers convention to-day state
 ment was made by the presiding officer that from 1, 765, 927 barrels in 1863 the ,,produc-
 tion of malt had increased to 14. IFS, ,557 in | 1882. For the twelve months ending March 31, 15, 254, 472 barrels had been produced The taxes on malt liquor for 1881 show an
 increase of $870,43 over the preceding year. He claimed that prohibition by stop.
 ping the sale of malt liquors, while it would
 not drive out the more portable liquors, de
 creased prosperity and increased pauperisn
 and did not check crime. Another business
 meeting will be held from 10 g.. m. to p. m to morrow.
 Secretary Chandler says he does not favor
 the proposed new Arctic expedition, as hC
 thinks It would be better to await the result
 of the English expedition which is now miss
 ing in the northern seas, the expedition being
 fitted out by English authorities to go ii
 search of that expedition, and the proposed
 German expedition.