January 3

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. That government is best which governs least."

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President, 1801-1809-This was going to be an easy one. Jefferson may have said something similar but the exact quote has not been found. There are two popular sources. One from Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. A similar quote is also found in "Thomas Jefferson: His Permanent Influence on American Institutions", John Sharp Williams, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1913), 49..."government is the grantee of powers, and not the grantor of rights; that it is merely the agent, or servant of the people; a trustee acting (if acting rightly)for the people , and not for itself. Our forefathers knew the danger of excess of government and were bent upon so simplifying, limiting and checking it, that it must forever remain a servant and could never become the master. My reading of history convinces me that most bad government has grown out of too much government.The statement , while perhaps not stated nor written by Jefferson, does reflect his political philosophy that the state governments should have more autonomy with less centralized power within the federal government.