Thomas Jefferson Quote

It should be remembered, as an axiom of eternal truth in politics, that whatever power in any government is independent, is absolute also; in theory only, at first, while the spirit of the people is up, but in practice, as fast as that relaxes. Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law.

Letter to Judge Spencer Roane (6 September 1819).

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18: Thomas Jefferson to Spencer Roane[press-pubs.uchicago.edu]