"All men are, by nature, equal and free: no one has a right to any authority over another without his consent: all lawful government is founded on the consent of those who are subject to it: such consent was given with view to ensure and to increase the happiness of the governed, above what they could enjoy in an independent and unconnected state of nature. The consequent is, that the happiness of the society is the first law of every government." ~James Wilson, Considerations on the nature and extent of the British Parliament.

Because quoting Jefferson has become cliche, and because my boy JW said so 10 years earlier.