What is true of every member of the society individually, is true of them all collectively, since the rights of the whole can be no more than the sum of the rights of the individuals.

—Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 Sept. 1789  {More}

set out on this ground, which I suppose to be self evident, ‘that the earth belongs in usufruct to the living:’ that the dead have neither powers nor rights over it. the portion occupied by any individual ceases to be his when himself ceases to be, & reverts to the society.

—Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 Sept. 1789  {More}

…a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.

—Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 Dec. 1787  {More}

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 …

—Thomas Jefferson to Francis Walker Gilmer, 7 June 1816  {More}

nothing then is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights of man.

—Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 5 June 1824  {More}

…for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man

—Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 23 Sept. 1800  {More}

all eyes are opened, or opening to the rights of man.

—Thomas Jefferson to Roger Chew Weightman, 24 June 1826  {More}