[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 18, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H11367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONSIDERING THE WORDS OF EDMUND BURKE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 7, 2003, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 1 minute.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, the current issue of the American 
Conservative Magazine has an article by Owen Harries that says, quote: 
``In the 1770s, when Britain had recently added North America and India 
to its Empire, when its economy was the strongest in the world, when it 
ruled the seas, it occupied a position not too different from the one 
occupied by the United States today.''
  Then the great statesman, Edmund Burke, godfather of conservatism, 
issued this warning: ``Among precautions against ambition, it may not 
be amiss to take precautions against our own. I must fairly say, I 
dread our own power and our own ambition. I dread our being too much 
dreaded. We must say that we shall not abuse this astonishing and 
hitherto unheard of power.'' Edmund Burke continued, ``But every other 
nation will think we shall abuse it. It is impossible but that sooner 
or later this state of things must produce a combination against us 
which may end in our ruin.''
  Mr. Speaker, we should consider these words of Edmund Burke today.

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