Who first said, 'The best government is that which governs least'?

Tao Te Ching has many passages to that effect. So I guess Laozi said it first roughly 500BC.

Isn't this sentiment a holdover from pre-AI times?

Now that we have almost-AGI, that basically has all human knowledge embedded, do we need to rely on heuristics like this?

Not true. Nothing of the sort. AGI has the same problem men have, their blind spots will always be wherever they accept agreeing among themselves as basis for certainty that they are right.

Who first said, ~without authority the masses would devour those of means.

It was in French and my paraphrase may be lacking.

Or how about, ~If I held Truth in my hand I would grip it tightly, for if it were to escape the world would forever scorn me.

I think also a Frenchie… (coincidence)

The problem with Man is not his authority, it is her lack of it.