Ronbo, found a few Jefferson quotes that I remember. There seems to be a little confusion on the first one below, if they ever found it in writting. The second one appears to have been found in writting in the Kentucky Resolutions. The third one which is along the lines of what you mentioned I cut from a letter he had written. I included the link below. Also interesting in the letter he has some thoughts about Holland's Chief Magistrate and Polish Kings and their duration of power.
“The two enemies of the people are criminals and government,so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.”
– Thomas Jefferson
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution"
- Thomas Jefferson (Kentucky Resolutions)
"God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & always well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. We have had 13. states independent 11. years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century & a half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants".