Excerpts 23-24

Virginia Ratifying Convention – June 18th, 1788

While considering the 1st clause of Section 2, Article II of the proposed Constitution of the United States

“The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”

Mr. George Mason expressed disapproval… “Now I conceive that the President ought not to have the power of pardoning, because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself. It may happen at some future day, that he will establish a Monarchy, and destroy the Republic. If he has the power of granting pardons before indictment, or conviction, may he not stop inquiry and prevent detection? The case of treason ought at least to be excepted. This is a weighty objection with me.”

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

https://americanfounding.org/entries/virginia-ratifying-convention/