"You seem ... to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitional questions; a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.  Our judges are as honest as other men, and not more so ... and their power [is] the more dangerous, as they are in office for for life and not responsible, as the other functionaries are, to the elective control.  The Constitution has erected no such single tribunal, knowing that to whatever hands confided, with corruptions of time and party, its members would become despots." - Thomas Jefferson, September 28, 1820

"The germ of dissolution of our federal government is in ... the federal judiciary; and irresponsible body (for impeachment is scarcely a scare-crow) working like gravity by night and by day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its noiseless step like a thief, over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall be usurped from the States." - Thomas Jefferson, 1821

"The Constitution is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary,w hich they may twist and shape into any form they please." - Thomas Jefferson, 1819

"Nothing in the Constitution has given them [the federal judges] a right to decide for the Executive, more than to the Executive to decide for them ... But the opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional, and what not, not only for themselves in their own sphere of action, but for the legislature and executive also, in their spheres, would make the judiciary a despotic branch." - Thomas Jefferson, 1804