The pardoning power of U.S. presidents is clearly allowed in the historic U.S. Constitution, which was written in 1787. However, the founders and the Constitutional Convention that wrote the document did have a serious debate regarding whether presidents could have such broad and unilateral powers of discretion without potential abuse.

The greatest advocate of adding presidential pardons to the Constitution was Alexander Hamilton, who argued that a single, decisive executive could offer quick and effective relief from potential judicial severity, as well as this power might be necessary to preserve national unity during times of nationwide strife. Hamilton prevailed over those who warned about potential abuse (e.g., pardoning treason), and it was ultimately adopted with the impeachment exception.

But just what would Hamilton consider abuse of the pardon? When the current president pardoned over 1,600 convicted of federal crimes in the........

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