In the course of the summer following the baptism, of which I have
rehearsed the particulars in the foregoing chapter, Bailie Mucklehose
happened to die, and as he was a man long and well respected, he had a
great funeral. All the rooms in his house were filled with company; and
it so fell out that, in the confusion, there was neither minister nor
elder to give the blessing sent into that wherein I was, by which, when
Mr Shavings the wright, with his men, came in with the service of bread
and wine as usual, there was a demur, and one after another of those
present was asked to say grace; but none of them being exercised in
public prayer, all declined, when Mr Shavings said to me, "Mr Pawkie, I
hope ye'll no refuse."
I had seen in the process, that not a few of the declinations were more
out of the awkward shame of blateness, than any inherent modesty of
nature, or diffidence of talent; so, without making a phrase about the
matter, I said the grace, and in such a manner that I could see it made
an impression. Mr Shavings was at that time deacon of the wrights, and
being well pleased with my conduct on this occasion, when he, the same
night, met the craft, he spoke of it in a commendable manner; and as I
understood thereafter, it was thought by them that the council could not
do better than make choice of me to the vacancy. In short, not to spin
out the thread of my narration beyond necessity, let it here suffice to
be known, that I was chosen into the council, partly by the strong
handling of Deacon Shavings, and the instrumentality of other friends and
well-wishers, and not a little by the moderation and prudence with which
I had been secretly ettling at the honour.
Having thus reached to a seat in the council, I discerned that it behoved
me to act with circumspection, in order to gain a discreet dominion over
the same, and to rule without being felt, which is the great mystery of
policy. With this intent, I, for some time, took no active part in the
deliberations, but listened, with the doors of my understanding set wide
to the wall, and the windows of my foresight all open; so that, in
process of time, I became acquainted with the inner man of the
counsellors, and could make a guess, no far short of the probability, as
to what they would be at, when they were jooking and wising in a round-
about manner to accomplish their own several wills and purposes. I soon
thereby discovered, that although it was the custom to deduce reasons
from out the interests of the community, for the divers means and
measures that they wanted to bring to a bearing for their own particular
behoof, yet this was not often very cleverly done, and the cloven foot of
self-interest was now and then to be seen aneath the robe of public
principle. I had, therefore, but a straightforward course to pursue, in
order to overcome all their wiles and devices, the which was to make the
interests of the community, in truth and sincerity, the end and object of
my study, and never to step aside from it for any immediate speciality of
profit to myself. Upon this, I have endeavoured to walk with a constancy
of sobriety; and although I have, to a certainty, reaped advantage both
in my own person and that of my family, no man living can accuse me of
having bent any single thing pertaining to the town and public, from the
natural uprightness of its integrity, in order to serve my own private
ends.
It was, however, sometime before an occasion came to pass, wherein I
could bring my knowledge and observations to operate in any effectual
manner towards a reformation in the management of the burgh; indeed, I
saw that no good could be done until I had subdued the two great
factions, into which it may be said the council was then divided; the one
party being strong for those of the king's government of ministers, and
the other no less vehement on the side of their adversaries. I,
therefore, without saying a syllable to any body anent the same, girded
myself for the undertaking, and with an earnest spirit put my shoulder to
the wheel, and never desisted in my endeavours, till I had got the cart
up the brae, and the whole council reduced into a proper state of
subjection to the will and pleasure of his majesty, whose deputies and
agents I have ever considered all inferior magistrates to be,
administering and exercising, as they do, their power and authority in
his royal name.
The ways and means, however, by which this was brought to pass, supply
matter for another chapter; and after this, it is not my intent to say
any thing more concerning my principles and opinions, but only to show
forth the course and current of things proceeding out of the affairs, in
which I was so called to form a part requiring no small endeavour and
diligence.