The public is governed according to its own ways of thinking. It has the right to talk nonsense, as the ministers have the right to enact it.

[Le public est gouverné comme il raisonne. Son droit est de dire des sottises, comme celui des ministres est d’en faire.]

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)

Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 8, ¶ 503 (1795) [tr. Merwin (1969)]
    (Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

The public is governed as it reasons. It is its right to say foolish things, as it is that of the ministers to do them.
[tr. Hutchinson (1902), "The Cynic's Breviary"]

The public is governed as it reasons; its own prerogative is foolish speech & that of its governors is foolish action.
[tr. Mathers (1926)]

The public is governed in the same way as it reasons. Its prerogative is to utter foolish things, as that of ministers is to commit them.
[tr. Pearson (1973)]

The public is governed as it reasons. It's right is to say foolish things, like that of ministers of state is to do them.
[tr. Siniscalchi (1994), ¶ 502]

People are now goverened in the way they want. They've won the right to think -- and ministers to act -- foolishly.
[tr. Parmée (2003)]