The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1865.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 504, 24 June 1865, Page 5

The New Zealand Herald

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1865.

BPEOTEMTTR AGENDO. " S!.T° oT6ry 111X11 thlno oar, but few thy voice: Take each man's censure, but reserve thy Judgment, This above all, —To thine ownsolri)© true; And it must follow, as the n'ght tho day, Thou canat not then bo false to any man."

Tjik news of tho fall of Richmond will not be received with any great amount of surprise among us. It was clearly seen from tiie accounts received a month ago that tho " fortune of war " might ere long favour the arms of the North and a great victory be obtained by the army before Richmond. But the past history of the war also left it quite doubtful whether the Confederates might not be able to hold [Richmond and if not drive back Grant at least hold him in check and prevent his progress. Hcnco it was totally impossible to form decided opinions one way or the other. At last, however, Richmond is said to have fallen. The great prize has been taken by tlie North. Many weary months have Grant and his army sat before the beleaguered city. Preparations of a most extensive nature have long been made for the conquest of tho Southern capital. Men and munitions of war havo been set apart for that object with 110 niggard hand. Grant made several vain attempts to take the city. He hurled masses of men forward in his attack, regardless of life and anxious only for victory'. The j greatest engineering skill of t'lic North was brought into requisition, and all of science and bravery which could be commanded were devoted to the great task of conquering tlie stronghold of tlie Confederates. And the heroic determination of the latter to meet science and bravery and determination with the like qualities, and to tight like men who have all at stake, was worthy of themselves and of the great power and means of the besiegers. The latter had the resources of a mighty nation to fall back upon. Everything that could be required, and that means and science could obtain, was at their command. The South, on the contrary, had been long reduced to the greatest straits. Their trade and commerce annihilated, their warriors had to live a life of the greatest selfdenial, and to undergo very great hardships of every kind. Such were the combatants on the field at Richmond, of such stuff were the armies composed which have there long been watching one another with eagle eye, the one side determined to retain the capital of their Confederate States, the other as detennined to take it. And the result can be no disgrace to the vanquished. They fought, we are told, like heroes, but they could not perform impossibilities. Both sides, we are informed, displayed the greatest bravery ; "both fought with a firm conviction of the grand importance of the conflict, but both could not win. The courage, determination, and bravery of the Southern army before Richmond have won the cordial admiration of the North. Such combatants cannot but admire and respect one another, however much tlie}' may be opposed in war. The North can never desire to exact harsh terms from such a foe, should any desire be evinced by it to lay down arms and cease its warlike efforts for separation. But what may be the feelings of the South, even a tier Richmond is gone, we cannot yet know. The talk was that her armies would retire and keep up the struggle as long as possible, hoping thereby to gain at last recognition from the monarchies of Europe, and so eventually secure their independence. But, with the seaboard gone, with the advance of the Northern army into Southern territory, and with the fall of Richmond, we cannot see how the South could do more than prolong the struggle, and vhus inflict, no doubt, an enormous injury on the North in a financial point of view. She may rightly calculate that she could compel the North to keep up an immense standing army, at an immense expense ; but the expressed determination of Lincoln never to cease his efforts till lie has conquered peace and subjugated tho South, would show that the North lias quite made up its mind to preserve the Union at all risks and all hazards, no matter what the cost of doing that may be either in blood or treasure.

' Napoleon 111. went to war for "an idea," and it is quite dear that the idea for which the South seceded had a most powerful effect on the vast mass of the population, since so much has been endured and suffered, and so much done to carry out that idea. But the idea which has permeated the very marrow of the men of the North, that the Union should not bo dissolved, that the Stars and Stripes should still float proudly over the entire States as of yore, was no less powerful, and evinced itself in all that has been said and done during this tremendous war. So far as the North has been concerned, slavery has not for one moment been the cause of her taking up arms. Iler incentive to war was not freedom to the slave, but Union of the States. The idea is one that lias taken entire possession of a large portion at least of the inhabitants, and of the ruling powers completely so, and that with a power rarely witnessed. In fact the North lias clung to this idea with a bull dog tenacity of purpose. Iler pride has been centred in this one thing, the creation of a magnificent empire, casting into shade the ancient Born an and the modern English Empire. To work out this destiny, to secure this end, her people are evidently decided upon makinf every possible sacrifice which can be called for in accomplishing their purpose. "Whether or no tlie object caiS;be secured will be disclosed only by the future, but it must be admitted itholds outtheprospect of adazzling and glorious future, and appeals to all the feelings of pride, patriotism, r.rul imagination of a nation which never yet showed a disposition to undervalue itself.* However, whether the South is to be're-annexed speedily, or whether an internecine war is to be waged, and the Southern territory held as a conquered province, is a matter upon which we need no\. now speculate. Coming events will alone decide that point.

I EXTENSIVE LAND SALE. jVTr. Samuei, Cochh.yne, we perceive, holds a very largo sale 011 Monday of valuable city and suburban and country properties, and one of them is the well-known junction Hotel, the property of the lale Mr. Benjamin Newell. The commanding position of this hotel at the Junction of tlie Otaliuhii and Onehunga roads is too well-known to need further comment. There are also for sale nine large allotments fronting both roads, on a portion of which the new cattle market stockj'ards are erected, and a piece of rich soil containing over 13 acres of land and having a good M ater frontage, being allotment 170, sec. I<>, of the suburbs of Auckland. Tlie city properties comprise tlie 15 years' lease of a well built f-roomcd cottage in Albertstreet, and several freehold allotments in Upper Queen-street, Nelson-street and Jieresfordstreet. In Onehunga there are for sale, 4 allotments iu Queen and Grey-streets, and a short distance beyond tlie Junction Hotel, and having frontages of 5G feet each, to tlie Government road, and two other allotments. Tlie country lots comprise allotments at. the Queen's liedoubt, in the township of Drury. eighty acres of suporior land at Tokatoka : a selected farm at Ahuroa; the Inglcwood farm at , Waiuku, partly fenced and in grass ; and two superior farms at Mangapai. The suburban properties comprise two fine building lots in Dublin-street, St. Mary's ; three villa sites iu Epsom ; anallotmcntat Mt. St. John, and another on the Onehunga road; and two choice allotments, Nos. 5 and 20. in Seafield View estate.