ABSTRACT
With the true genius of a political castle-builder, M r Falconer began to add story after story to the edifice, of which he had thus promptly and successfully laid the foundation. Having by a lucky hit provided for one of his sons, that is to say, put him in a fair way of being provided for, the industrious father began to form plans for the advancement of his two other sons, Buckhurst and John. – Buckhurst was destined by his father for the church: John for the army. The Commissioner, notwithstanding he had been closetted for some hours with Lord Oldborough, and notwithstanding his son Cunningham was to be one of his Lordship’s secretaries, was well aware that little or no progress had been made in Lord Oldborough’s / real favor or confidence. Mr Falconer knew, that he had been literally paid by the job, that he was considered and treated accordingly: yet upon the whole he was well pleased that it should be so, for he foresaw the possibility of his doing for his Lordship many more jobs, public and private. He lost no time in preparing for the continuity of his secret services, and in creating a political necessity for his being employed in future, in a manner that might ensure the advancement of the rest of his family. In the first place, he knew that Lord Oldborough was desirous, for the enlargement of the demesne at Clermont-Park, to purchase certain adjoining lands, which, from some ancient pique, the owner was unwilling to sell. The proprietor was a tenant of Mr Falconer’s, he undertook to negotiate the business, and to use his influence to bring his tenant to reason. This offer, made through Cunningham, was accepted by Lord Oldborough, and the negotiation led to fresh communications. – There / was soon to be a county meeting, 25 and an address was to be procured in favor of certain measures of government, which it was expected would be violently opposed. In the Commissioner’s letters to his son, the private secretary, he could say and suggest whatever he pleased; he pointed out the gentlemen of the county who ought to be conciliated, and he offered his services to represent things properly to some with whom he was intimate. – The sheriff and the undersheriff also should know, without being informed directly from ministry, what course in conducting the meeting would be agreeable in a certain quarter – who so proper to say and do all that might be expedient as Mr Falconer, who was on the spot, and well acquainted with the county? – The Commissioner was informed by the private secretary, that his services would be acceptable. – There happened also, at this time, to be some disputes and grievances in that part of the country about tax-gatherers. – Mr Falconer / hinted, that he could soften and accommodate matters, if he were empowered to do so — and he was so empowered. – Besides all this, there was a borough in that county, in which the interest of government had been declining; attempts were made to open the borough – Mr Falconer could be of use in keeping it close 26 – and he was commissioned to do every thing in his power in this business. In a short time Mr Falconer was acting on all these points as an agent and partisan of Lord Oldborough’s. But there was one thing which made him uneasy; he was acting here, as in many former instances, merely upon vague hopes of future reward.
