[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 408 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 408

  Recognizing the 50th anniversary of The Conservative Mind, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 2003

    Mr. Souder (for himself, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Crane, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. 
 Stearns, Mr. Chocola, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Musgrave, Mr. 
Feeney, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Royce, Mr. Toomey, and Mr. Camp) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government 
                                 Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the 50th anniversary of The Conservative Mind, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas 2003 is the 50th Anniversary of Russell Kirk's seminal work, The 
        Conservative Mind;
Whereas Russell Kirk's The Conservative Mind worked a revival of conservative 
        thought and policy in the United States during an era marked by the arid 
        wasteland of liberal and collectivist dominance;
Whereas The Conservative Mind outlined ``six canons of conservative thought'' 
        the first being ``Belief in a transcendent order, or body of natural 
        law, which rules society as well as conscience. Political problems, at 
        bottom, are religious and moral problems'';
Whereas The Conservative Mind's second canon of conservative thought is 
        ``Affection for the proliferating variety and mystery of human 
        existence, as opposed to the narrowing uniformity, egalitarianism, and 
        utilitarian aims of most radical systems--the conservatism of 
        enjoyment'';
Whereas The Conservative Mind's third canon of conservative thought is 
        ``Conviction that civilized society requires orders and classes, as 
        against the notion of a `classless society'. . . If natural distinctions 
        are effaced among men, oligarchs fill the vacuum. Ultimate equality in 
        the judgment of God, and equality before courts of law, are recognized 
        by conservatives; but equality of condition, they think, means equality 
        in servitude and boredom'';
Whereas The Conservative Mind's fourth canon of conservative thought is 
        ``Persuasion that freedom and property are closely linked: separate 
        property from private possession, and the Leviathan becomes master of 
        all'';
Whereas The Conservative Mind's fifth canon of conservative thought is ``Faith 
        in prescription and distrust of `sophisters, calculators, and 
        economists' who would reconstruct society upon abstract designs. Custom, 
        convention, and old prescription are checks both upon man's anarchic 
        impulse and upon the innovator's lust for power'';
Whereas The Conservative Mind's sixth canon of conservative thought is 
        ``Recognition that change may not be salutary reform: hasty innovation 
        may be a devouring conflagration, rather than a torch of progress.''; 
        and
Whereas Ronald Reagan wrote that ``As the prophet of American conservatism, 
        Russell Kirk has taught, nurtured, and inspired a generation. From . . . 
        Piety Hill, he reached deep into the roots of American values, writing 
        and editing central works of political philosophy. His intellectual 
        contribution has been a profound act of patriotism. I look forward to 
        the future with anticipation that his work will continue to exert a 
        profound influence in the defense of our values and our cherished 
        civilization.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) joins in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the 
        publication of The Conservative Mind; and
            (2) recognizes the extraordinary work of the Russell Kirk 
        Center for Cultural Renewal and the Intercollegiate Studies 
        Institute for transmitting the patrimony of The Conservative 
        Mind and the writings of Russell Kirk to the rising generation.
                                 <all>