On The Hypocrisy of The Revolution

"What a stupendous, what an incomprehensible machine is man! who can endure toil, famine, stripes, imprisonment & death itself in vindication of his own liberty, and the next moment be deaf to all those motives whose power supported him thro' his trial, and inflict on his fellow men a bondage, one hour of which is fraught with more misery than ages of that which he rose in rebellion to oppose."

Jefferson quote source: Answers to Demeunier's Queries. June 26, 1786.

Arbitrary Power vs. Absolute Despotism

Jefferson's original wording in the Declaration of Independence was altered by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin before it was published for the masses.

Whereas Jefferson thought "arbitrary power" sufficient cause for rebellion, Franklin changed it to "absolute despotism."

Source

when a long train of abuses & usurpations pursuing

  invariably the same object, evinces a design to subject reduce them 

 under absolute Despotism [FRANKLIN]
  ^to arbitrary power, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off

  such government, & to provide new guards for their future security