But the new member was, in some points, not of so tractable a nature as
many of his predecessors had been; and notwithstanding all the couthy
jocosity and curry-favouring of his demeanour towards us before the
election, he was no sooner returned, than he began, as it were, to snap
his fingers in the very faces of those of the council to whom he was most
indebted, which was a thing not of very easy endurance, considering how
they had taxed their consciences in his behalf; and this treatment was
the more bitterly felt, as the old member had been, during the whole of
his time, as considerate and obliging as could reasonably be expected;
doing any little job that needed his helping hand when it was in his
power, and when it was not, replying to our letters in a most discreet
and civil manner. To be sure, poor man, he had but little to say in the
way of granting favours; for being latterly inclined to a whiggish
principle, he was, in consequence, debarred from all manner of government
patronage, and had little in his gift but soft words and fair promises.
Indeed, I have often remarked, in the course of my time, that there is a
surprising difference, in regard to the urbanities in use among those who
have not yet come to authority, or who have been cast down from it, and
those who are in the full possession of the rule and domination of
office; but never was the thing plainer than in the conduct of the new
member.
He was by nature and inclination one of the upsetting sort; a kind of man
who, in all manner of business, have a leaven of contrariness, that makes
them very hard to deal with; and he, being conjunct with his majesty's
ministers at London, had imbibed and partook of that domineering spirit
to which all men are ordained, to be given over whenever they are clothed
in the garments of power. Many among us thought, by his colleaguing with
the government, that we had got a great catch, and they were both blythe
and vogie when he was chosen; none doubting but he would do much good
servitude to the corporation, and the interests of the burgh. However he
soon gave a rebuff, that laid us all on our backs in a state of the
greatest mortification. But although it behoved me to sink down with the
rest, I was but little hurt: on the contary, I had a good laugh in my
sleeve at the time; and afterwards, many a merry tumbler of toddy with my
brethren, when they had recovered from their discomfiture. The story was
this:--
About a fortnight after the election, Mr Scudmyloof, the schoolmaster,
called one day on me, in my shop, and said, "That being of a nervous
turn, the din of the school did not agree with him; and that he would,
therefore, be greatly obligated to me if I would get him made a gauger."
There had been something in the carriage of our new member, before he
left the town, that was not satisfactory to me, forbye my part at the
election, the which made me loth to be the first to ask for any grace,
though the master was a most respectable and decent man; so I advised Mr
Scudmyloof to apply to Provost Pickandab, who had been the delegate, as
the person to whose instrumentality the member was most obliged; and to
whose application, he of course would pay the greatest attention.
Whether Provost Pickandab had made any observe similar to mine, I never
could rightly understand, though I had a notion to that effect: he,
however, instead of writing himself, made the application for Mr
Scudmyloof an affair of the council; recommending him as a worthy modest
man, which he really was, and well qualified for the post. Off went this
notable letter, and by return of post from London, we got our answer as
we were all sitting in council; deliberating anent the rebuilding of the
Crosswell, which had been for some time in a sore state of dilapidation;
and surely never was any letter more to the point and less to the purpose
of an applicant. It was very short and pithy, just acknowledging receipt
of ours; and adding thereto, "circumstances do not allow me to pay any
attention to such applications." We all with one accord, in sympathy and
instinct, threw ourselves back in our chairs at the words, looking at
Provost Pickandab, with the pragmatical epistle in his hand, sitting in
his place at the head of the table, with the countenance of
consternation.
When I came to myself, I began to consider that there must have been
something no right in the provost's own letter on the subject, to cause
such an uncourteous rebuff; so after condemning, in very strong terms,
the member's most ungenteel style, in order to procure for myself a
patient hearing, I warily proposed that the provost's application should
be read, a copy thereof being kept, and I had soon a positive
confirmation of my suspicion. For the provost, being fresh in the
dignity of his office, and naturally of a prideful turn, had addressed
the parliament man as if he was under an obligation to him; and as if the
council had a right to command him to get the gauger's post, or indeed
any other, for whomsoever they might apply. So, seeing whence the
original sin of the affair had sprung, I said nothing; but the same night
I wrote a humiliated letter from myself to the member, telling him how
sorry we all were for the indiscretion that had been used towards him,
and how much it would pleasure me to heal the breach that had happened
between him and the burgh, with other words of an oily and conciliating
policy.
The indignant member, by the time my letter reached hand, had cooled in
his passion, and, I fancy, was glad of an occasion to do away the
consequence of the rupture; for with a most extraordinary alacrity he
procured Mr Scudmyloof the post, writing me, when he had done so, in the
civilest manner, and saying many condescending things concerning his
regard for me; all which ministered to maintain and uphold my repute and
consideration in the town, as superior to that of the provost.