"Our legislators are not sufficiently appraised
of the rightful limits of their power;
that their true office is to declare and enforce
our natural rights and duties,
and to take none of them from us.
No man has a natural right to commit aggression
on the equal rights of another;
and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him;
every man is under the natural duty of contributing
to the necessities of the society;
and this is all the laws should enforce on him; and,
no man having the right to be the judge between himself and another,
it is his natural duty to submit to the umpirage of an impartial third [party].
When the laws have declared and enforced all this,
they have fulfilled their functions;
and the idea is quite unfounded,
that on entering into society we give up any natural right."
-- Thomas Jefferson
(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President
Source: letter to Francis W. Gilmer, June 7, 1816
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