“The masses are asses.”
Thanks!
I did a search on “masses” for all forums, any date and didn’t find this answer, nor was Google too helpful, so I did do my homework. 
Seems to be Alexander Hamilton who’s been given the credit. From here:
Meir Kahane attributes that to Hamilton?
Pul-l-l-eze find me another cite that is reputable.
I call Bullshit unless you can give me a source that ain’t from a a loon.
According to this site
http://www.americanpolitics.com/20010626MacArthurAiles.html
it would appear that John Locke is the originator.
Actually, Rabbi Meir Kahane, who among other titles had degrees in Law and International Law, WAS RIGHT ONCE AGAIN.
It was Alexander Hamilton who made the sentence famous using it during the Framers’ discourse on the electoral college.
See, among others, this easy textbook that can be understood even by those who did not understand what Rav Kahane was saying:
Yes, that book does say it was Hamilton. The problem is that almost nobody else does so. Nor does that book provide any clues to where Hamilton originally said it.
Barry Popik, one of the most respected names in the word origin game, has an entry in progress on “the masses are asses” and the earliest citation he’s found is 1869.
Until the actual quote is found in Hamilton’s writing, I’m sticking with the statement that it’s merely another of a million quotes that are wrongly attributed to a famous name.
I had no idea Alexander Hamilton was Jewish. Did he change his name from Hamilstein?
(kidding)