PARDON

In Law, it is part of the prerogative of the crown to pardon all offences merely against the crown or the public, excepting the offence of committing any person to prison out of the realm, which, by the Habeas Corpus Act, is made a praemunire, unpardonable even by the king: and excepting those offences in the prosecution of which private justice is in some measure concerned, as nuisances and offences against a popular or penal statute after information; for thereupon the informer has a private property in his part of the penalty. Pardon is granted under the great seal, or by warrant under the sign manual, countersigned by one of the principal secretaries of state; or by act of parliament. Its effect is, in almost all 6ases, to make the offender a new man, and to discharge him from all the penal consequences attach, ing to his offence. [s. 901]