of over forty thousand men, will all move over different routes towards Fairfax Court House, and occupy such positions as to leave the rebels no other alternative than retreat or surrender. A similar plan of operations will be followed in regard to the rebel forces at the Junction. the First brigade, came up to a point at the foot | onel Miles' Fifth division, representing a force of a steep hill, some two and a half miles this side of Fall's Church, one of his aids, who had been reconnoitring in advance, dashed up to him and reported having seen two hundred of the enemy's cavalry a short distance ahead, to the right of the road. A halt was at once made, and six companies of the First and an equal number of the Second Connecticut Regiments deployed as skirmishers to the right and left of the road. Thus protected against surprise, the army again moved on, and after a march of two hours reached this point just before sunset, without coming in sight of the enemy. Arrived here, the different regiments of the two first brigades were at once marched into the adjoining fields, stacked their arms, partook of their cold supper, and then prepared for their night's rest. At about eight o'clock Col. Sherman's and Col. Richardson's brigades came in, and at this hour of writing-nine P. M.-the whole division is encamped about the town, and strong pickets are stationed on all the roads leading towards the enemy, and the batteries accompanying the division are stationed so as to command all the approaches. The nearest picket of the enemy, one hundred strong, is only a mile from town, on the road to Fairfax Court House. JULY 17-5 A. M. To-day's march of the First division will be slow, as many obstructions will have to be removed from the road. It is almost certain that the troops will have to fight a portion of their way. The entire division is now forming. All the men are still full of metal, in spite of the uncomfortable night they spent in the moist fields, and show their gladness at the immediate prospect of an encounter with the rebels by continued cheering. The Ohio regiments seem particularly anxious to square up their Vienna GERMANTOWN, July 17—1 P. M. The second day's movements of the First division of the grand army, under General Tyler, from Vienna to this point, although more obstructed than yesterday's, have been entirely successful up to the time of writing. The column commenced moving at half-past five o'clock this morning, in the order observed yesterday, with a variation in the Third bri Lieut. Tompkins, of the cavalry company, went out reconnoitring this evening, and discovered obstructions on the road a short dis-gade, which was to-day headed by the gallant tance from town. The half demolished train | of platform cars that carried the Ohio troops on their unfortunate reconnoissance of this point, some weeks since, is still standing where it was fired upon from the masked battery. Leonard B. Perkins, a well-known Union man of Fairfax County, acts as guide to the division. General Tyler's staff will spend the night at the house of Mr. J. B. Bowman, another enthusiastic Union man, who made himself so obnoxious to the rebels by transporting the dead and wounded Ohio men into Alexandria free of charge. The wife of Colonel Richardson, commanding the Fourth brigade, is the only lady with the expedition. Great relief is felt by all the Union men in this vicinity in consequence of the appearance of the Union troops, as rebel squads had for the last two days scoured the country for the purpose of forcibly impressing all male inhabi tants into service. The division is ordered to resume its march at five o'clock to-morrow morning. Its destination is Germantown, a village one mile west of Fairfax Court House. Gen. Tyler's orders are to take such a position as to cut off all communication between Fairfax Court House and Manassas Junction. I am now permitted to state, what has been known to me for several days, namely, that General Tyler's First, and Colonel Hunter's Second, Colonel Heintzelman's Third, and Col New York Sixty-ninth. The road, immediately after emerging from Vienna, enters heavy timber. About a mile from the village a heavy obstruction, consisting of about fifty large trees, was discovered in the road. Captain Alexander, of the Engineer corps, immediately put his pioneers to work with their axes, and in less than twenty minutes the whole of the barricade was cleared away and the column moved onward. Having reached the edge of the timber, two companies of each of the Connecticut regiments were again deployed as skirmishers on the right and left of the column, under command of Colonel Spiedel. Captain Hawley's company of the First Regiment had been in motion but a few minutes when it came up with three mounted rebels, who allowed themselves to be captured without resistance. At about the same time some stragglers of the Sixty-ninth, while upon an excursion to an adjoining farm-house, during a halt, surprised a fourth mounted rebel. The prisoners were brought before General Tyler, to whom they gave free information as to the position of the enemy. According to their statements, a strong force was intrenched about two miles ahead of the column, in front of Fairfax Court House. The division marched a short distance further on, when a reconnoissance by Colonel Keyes, commanding the First brigade, resulted in the discovery of two evidently mounted earthworks, protected by bodies of infantry and cav alry, to the left of the road, at the distance stated by the prisoners. Colonel Keyes immediately pushed on the advance brigade along the road, with a view to getting in the rear of the enemy, while General Tyler ordered General Schenck's brigade to form in battle array in the fields, to the left of the road. The Third and Fourth brigades, under Colonel Sherman and Colonel Richardson, formed on the road. But the rebels abandoned their position as soon as General Schenck's column commenced moving on through the fields and the other brigades up the road. With a spyglass the roads leading to Fairfax Court House could be seen covered with retreating rebels. The head of the First brigade came within a few hundred yards of a body of them, and Colonel Keyes ordered a section of Captain Varian's battery to throw a few shells among them, which was done with remarkable promptness. The enemy ran as soon as the first shot was fired. Hent's Hill, some two and a half miles west of Vienna, being reached, and the enemy being evidently still retreating, General Schenck's brigade again fell into line and the column continued its march in the order of the morning. A thick piece of woods was entered, in an opening of which tangible evidence of the hurry in which the rebels had retreated was found, in the shape of a large number of blankets, pistols, guns, canteens, &c., &c., that had been indiscriminately thrown away, and were immediately appropriated by our soldiers. A short distance from the abandoned rebel camp two more abatis were discovered in the road, and removed by the pioneers in a few minutes. The column was about pushing on, when scouts came rushing in and reported a battery of several pieces less than half a mile ahead. Colonel Keyes immediately started an aid to General Tyler, requesting him to send some rifled pieces to his assistance. About half an hour elapsed, when Captain Ayres' battery of eight pieces came thundering along the road. Meantime other scouts had come in and reported that the rebels had precipitately abandoned the battery, and were retreating in hot haste with their pieces. So it turned out. But Colonel Keyes, nevertheless, ordered the skirmishers to push slowly on, and Captain Ayres' rifled pieces to throw some shells in the enemy's work. Three shells were in a few minutes afterwards lodged in the breast work. But the enemy had disappeared, and the intrenchments were quietly entered and taken possession of by the skirmishers. The position was a very strong one, and could have been easily defended. A large quantity of shovels, picks, bags of oats, buckets, &c., was found in the work, and camp fires were still burning in the rear of it. Half a mile further on, Germantown, a hamlet of half a dozen houses, was reached and found almost deserted. The only white person left stated that twenty-five hundred rebels, ineluding Colonel Cash's South Carolina Regi ment, had occupied the breast works, and retreated only about fifteen minutes before the Union skirmishers appeared in sight of the town. A short halt is now being made for dinner by the First division, in the woods adjoining Germantown. The division will move on this afternoon to the vicinity of Centreville, where the enemy is said to be in strong force. HALF-PAST ONE, P. M. General McDowell and staff have just arrived, at the head of four companies of cavalry. He reports Fairfax Court House evacuated, and occupied by Colonel Hunter's division; Colonels Heintzelman and Miles's divisions are a short distance south of the Court House. All four divisions will move on towards the Junction to morrow. The skulking of the enemy greatly disappointed our men. If he stands at all, Manassas Junction will, doubtlessly, be the scene of a decisive battle. -N. Y. Herald, July 18. NEW YORK "TIMES" NARRATIVE. The General decided not to move forward any further to-night, mainly because the troops had been so fatigued by their day's march as to render any further movement unadvisable. They are encamped accordingly in this vicinity, a large portion of the central column being in the village and its immediate neighborhood, though Col. Tyler's Division holds position about half way between Germantown and Centreville. Col. Heintzelman had not been heard from at three o'clock, and Gen. McDowell took an escort and proceeded to the point designated for him to occupy. I have not seen him since his return, but believe he found all right. Every thing we see here shows that the rebels left the place in the greatest imaginable haste. Judging from the camps in the vicinity, as well as from the statements of the inhabitants, there must have been from 5,000 to 8,000 rebel troops here this morning. It is said that Gen. Beauregard was here in person last night, and left word for the troops, who were commanded by Col. Bonham, to retire if attacked by a superior force. They are said to have commenced the retreat at about nine o'clock, when our troops were about five miles off. Why they should have gone in such extreme haste, it is not easy to see. The intrenchments thrown up a mile in advance of the town were so hastily abandoned, that provisions of every kind, rice, bacon, flour, etc., with blankets and clothing of the officers, were left behind. It was not very apparent that any guns had ever been mounted here, though the engineers thought that some eight guns had been placed in position. I saw no evidence of this, except the marks of what might have been artillery wheels, though they seemed to me quite as likely to have been the wheels of wagons used to bring the sand bags with which the embrasures were lined. If any were there, they were moved off with great | prospect. These depredations were far too rapidity. numerous for the credit of our troops, and I was glad to see, as I passed the General's headquarters, half a dozen of the offenders under arrest and in a fair way of receiving the punishment which they deserve. But the strongest evidence of haste was found in the abandoned camps. In that of the Palmetto Guards, lying nearest the side of the village at which our troops entered, almost every thing remained untouched. The uniforms of the officers, plates, cans, dishes, and camp equipage of every kind, an immense quantity of excellent bacon, blankets, overcoats, etc., etc., were left behind, and the tables of the officers, spread for breakfast, remained untouched. In the vest pocket of one of the officers was found a gold watch; in another was a roll of ten cent pieces, amounting to ten dollars; letters, papers, books and every thing collected in a camp which had been occupied for some days, were abandoned without the slightest attempt to take them away. In another camp in a field at the extremity of the town, occupied by another South Carolina regiment, the same evidences of extreme haste were visible. Unopened bales of blankets were found; scarcely any of the utensils of the camp | had been removed, and bags of flour and flitches of bacon were scattered over the ground. One discovery was made of some significance. Gen. McDowell has had the Topographical Engineers under his charge employed for some weeks in preparing a very minute and accurate map of this portion of the State. It had been brought to a very high state of perfection, and was particularly valuable from the fact that no good maps of this county have ever before been made. A few photographic copies of this map were made a few days since for the use of the War Department, and of the officers engaged in the movement. One of these maps was found in the camp of the Palmetto Guards. Of course it could only have come there by the treachery of some person holding responsible position in our Government. This matter of plunder, however, it is humiliating to confess, is more or less inseparable from war. It is not possible when 30,000 or 40,000 men are marching through an enemy's country, to prevent them from supplying their necessities and gratifying their lawless propensities by depredations upon the foe. The Eng[lish understand this, and, as a matter of necessity, permit it. A good deal of this, in the case of our troops, is due to the spirit of frolic, which characterizes their progress thus far in this war. They act as if the whole expedition were a gigantic picnic excursion. After we were fairly in town to-day, two of the troops dressed themselves in women's clothes and promenaded the town amid the shouts and not over-delicate attentions of the surrounding troops. Others paraded the streets under the shade of the tattered umbrellas which they had found in camp; and one, donning a gown and broad bands, marched solemnly down the principal street, with an open book before him, reading the funeral-service of "that secession scoundrel, Jeff. Davis." All these humors of the camp help to pass the time, and are pursued with just as much reckless abandon now that they are on the eve of a battle which may send half of them into eternity, as if they were simply on a holiday excursion. Perhaps it is well that they do not take the matter any more seriously to heart, for it is one which will scarcely bear very serious reflection. The men are in capital spirits, and are quite ready for the approaching crisis. The best attainable information leads us to believe that the enemy is quite as strong as we are at Manassas, The discovery of these abandoned camps and that they have the advantage of intrenchafforded a splendid opportunity for our troops ments, constructed carefully and at leisure, to replenish their slender stock of camp furni- under the immediate supervision of Gen. Beauture. They rushed to the plunder with a de- regard, and the additional advantage of rapid gree of enthusiasm which I only hope will be railroad communication with Richmond and equalled when they come to fight. Men were their base of operations. It is said here that seen crossing the fields in every direction loaded Gen. B. informed the troops here last night with booty of every description-some with that, whether they contested the possession of tents, some with blankets, overcoats, tin pans, this place or not, the question of an independgridirons-every thing which the most fastidi-ent Southern Confederacy would be decided at ous soldier could desire. I am sorry to say that Manassas, and that he made each man of them they did not limit their predatory exploits to take an oath to fight to the last man. If we these camps, which might, perhaps, be consid- | had not heard a good deal of this before, and ered fair objects of plunder. The appetite once seen these oaths followed by swift retreats, we excited became ungovernable, and from camps might attach more importance to them. Acthey proceeded to houses, and from plunder to cording to present appearances, however, I am wanton destruction. Five or six houses were inclined to think that the rebels will dispute set on fire, others were completely sacked-the Manassas with whatever of force and vigor they furniture stolen, the windows smashed, and possess; and it is not impossible that Gen. Mebooks and papers scattered to the winds. Pres- Dowell may deem it advisable to await reënently in came soldiers bringing chickens, tur- forcements, if, after reconnoitring it, he finds keys, pigs, etc., swung upon their bayonets, the place as formidable as he anticipates. proud of their exploits, and exultant over the luxurious and unwonted feast in immediate The troops are bivouacked to-night in the fields and under the open sky. The General and staff, like the men, sleep on the ground, rolled in their blankets; and I found the General at three o'clock taking his dinner of bread and cheese, with a slice of ham, on the top of an overturned candle-box by the side of the main highway. When it comes to sleeping, I rejoice that I am a civilian, for I am much better cared for to-night than the commander of this, the largest force ever marshalled under one general on this continent. There are two hotels in this place, both evidently feeble at their best estate, and just now, after a prolonged visit of rapacious and boisterous rebels, in a state of suspended animation. Capt. Rawlings, of the New Hampshire Regiment, with that versatility which enables a New Englander to turn from commanding armies to keeping a hotel with marvellous facility, has succeeded in infusing into the mind of the invalid widow who keeps one of them that the national troops have not come to sweep her and hers from the face of the earth. She has accordingly provided me with a bed, which, if not luxurious, is, to my untutored mind, decidedly preferable to one on the ground, even under the brilliant sky and softly superb moon of this July night. H. J. R. 66 -N. Y. Times, July 20. Doc. 97. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA." WE, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character, in order to form a permanent federal government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterityinvoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God-do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Confederate States of America. ARTICLE I. SEC. 1.-All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested in a Congress of the Confederate States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. SEC. 2.-The House of Representatives shall be chosen every second year by the people of the several States; and the electors in each State shall be citizens of the Confederate States, and have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature; but no person of foreign birth, not a citizen of the Confederate States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil or political, State or Federal. apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Confederacy, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all slaves. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the Confederate States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every fifty thousand, but each State shall have at least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of South Carolina shall be entitled to choose six; the State of Georgia ten; the State of Alabama nine; the State of Florida two; the State of Mississippi seven; the State of Louisiana six; and the State of Texas six. 4. When vacancies happen in the represen tation of any State, the Executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. 5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment; except that any judicial or other federal officer resident and acting solely within the limits of any State, may be impeached by a vote of two-thirds of both branches of the Legislature thereof. SEC. 3.-The Senate of the Confederate States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen for six years by the Legislature thereof, at the regular session next immediately preceding the commencement of the term of service; and each Senator shall have one vote. 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled, in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year; of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year; and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year; so that one-third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation or otherwise during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. 3. No person shall be a Senator, who shall not have attained the age of thirty years, and be a citizen of the Confederate States; and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of the State for which he shall be chosen. 4. The Vice-President of the Confederate States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 2. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and be a citizen of the Confederate States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be 5. The Senate shall choose their other offichosen. cers, and also a President pro tempore, in the 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the Confederate States. 2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the Confederate States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no person holding any office under the Confed 6. The Senate shall have sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the Confederate States is tried, the Chief-Justice shall preside; and no person shall be convicted without the concur-erate States shall be a member of either House rence of two-thirds of the members present. during his continuance in office. But Congress may, by law, grant to the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments a seat upon the floor of either House, with the privilege of discussing any measure appertaining to his de 7. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit, under the Confederate States; but the party convicted shall, never-partment. theless, be liable to and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law. SEO. 4.-The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof, subject to the provisions of this Constitution; but the Congress may, at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the times and places of choosing Senators. 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year; and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall, by law, appoint a different day. SEC. 5.-Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide. 2. Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the whole number, expel a member. 3. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such part as may in its judgment require secrecy, and the ayes and nays of the members of either House, on any question, shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. 4. Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting. SEC. 6.-The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the Confederate States. They shall, in all cases except treason and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place. SEC. 7.-All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amend ments as on other bills. 2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the Confederate States; if he approve he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that Ilouse, it shall become a law. But in all such cases, the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the Presi dent within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent its return; in which case it shall not be a law. The President may approve any appropriation and disapprove any other appropriation in the same bill. In such case he shall, in signing the bill, designate the appropriations disapproved; and shall return a copy of such appropriations, with his objec tions, to the House in which the bill shall have originated; and the same proceedings shall then be had as in case of other bills disapproved by the President. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of both Houses may be neces sary (except on questions of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the Confederate States; and before the same shall take effect shall be approved by him; or being disapproved by him, may be repassed by twothirds of both Houses, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in case of a bill. SEC. 8.-The Congress shall have power1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, for revenue necessary to pay the debts, provide for the common defence, and carry on the Government of the Confederate |