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The Origins of the Pardon

AlexanderHamiltonrecognized
thevalueinusingpardoning
powerastooltogovernwith.
COURTESYOFTHEU.S.DEPARTMENT
OFTREASURY
(HTTP://WWW.USTREAS.GOV/)

ThepardonisbasedontheroyalPrerogativeofEnglishKings,whichgavethekingtheabilityto
overturnanysentence.Originally,theking'sprerogativeexistedwithoutanylimitationsattached
toit.ButduringthereignofKingCharlesII(166085),theEnglishParliamentmanagedtoinstitute
thesinglerulethatimpeachmentwasexcludedfromthepardonpower.Thisrulelivesontoday.
WhentheAmericanfoundersweredevelopingthelawsfortheUnitedStates
(http://maps.howstuffworks.com/mapsofunitedstates.htm)inthelate18thcentury,thepowerto
pardonalmostdidn'tmakeitintotheConstitution.Infact,itwasbarelyconsidered.Twoplans,the
Virginia(http://maps.howstuffworks.com/mapsofvirginia.htm)PlanandtheNewJersey
(http://maps.howstuffworks.com/mapsofnewjersey.htm)PlanforframingtheConstitution,did
notincludethepowertopardon.OneoftheVirginiaPlan'sbackers,GeorgeMason,believedit
wasamistaketograntsuchpowertoasingleperson.HavingjustrevoltedagainstKingGeorge
III,whommanyAmericansconsideredatyrannicalking,manyofMason'sfellowframersagreed
withhim.
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ButAlexanderHamilton(http://history.howstuffworks.com/historicalfigures),whobelievedina
large,powerful,centralizedfederalgovernmentmadeupoftheelitethinkersofthenation,was
abletobringtheotherframersoftheU.S.Constitutionaroundtohiswayofthinking.
InNo.74ofhis"FederalistPapers,"AlexanderHamiltonextolledthevalueofapardoningpower:
"inseasonsofinsurrectionorrebellion,thereareoftencriticalmoments,whenawelltimedofferof
pardontotheinsurgentsorrebelsmayrestorethetranquillityofthecommonwealthandwhich,if
sufferedtopassunimproved,itmayneverbepossibleafterwardstorecall"[Source:YaleLaw
School(http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed74.htm)].
Hamilton,andeventuallytheotherframers,sawthevalueofinvestinginthepresidenttheability
toatamoment'snoticeandwithouttheconsentofanyotherbranchofgovernmentgrant
reprievestogroupsduringperiodsofnationalcrisis.Itwasreasonedthatsomecrisescouldbe
allayedorovercomeifthebelligerentscouldbegivenadealforgivingthemfortheirtrespasses.
AlmostnosoonerthantheinkontheConstitutionwasdry,thisabilitywasneeded.Whenfarmers
inPennsylvaniarevoltedin1794againstfederaltaxesleviedontheircorncrops,theWhiskey
(http://science.howstuffworks.com/alcohol1.htm)Rebellionwasborn.PresidentGeorge
WashingtonusedthepowertopardonforthefirsttimeinUnitedStateshistorytoforgivethe
revoltingfarmersfortheirinsurrectionagainsttheyoungnation.Theactionworkedandthe
rebellionwasquieted.
Thepardonhassincebeenusedinthisoriginalintentseveraltimes.Asmentionedearlier,
AndrewJohnsonusedthepardontoredeemConfederatesoldiersaftertheCivilWar.President
JohnAdamspardonedsoldierswhohaddesertedduringtheRevolutionaryWar
(http://history.howstuffworks.com/historicalevents).AndtohelpendtheVietnamera,President
JimmyCarterofferedablanketpardontoanyAmericanwhohaddodgedthedraftduringthewar.
AsthecenturieshaveprogressedinAmerica,thepresidentialpardonhasevolvedfromtheability
toforgivetreasonousacts,toamuchbroaderinterpretationofexecutivepower.Checkoutthe
nextpagetolearnhowthepardonisbeingusedinthemodernera.
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