Abraham Lincoln and the pardon power

During this period of transition between presidential administrations – when pardons are typically issued in large numbers – it is useful to see how another president used the pardon power afforded to him by the Constitution.

When considering pardon requests during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln typically sought to pursue justice as he understood it, regardless of a petitioner’s race, class, or sex. In making his decisions, Lincoln strove to avoid getting swept up by the passions of the day.