Massachusetts Constitution > Part II > Chapter II Section I > Article VIII
[The power of pardoning offences, except such as persons may be convicted of before the senate by an impeachment of the house, shall be in the governor, by and with the advice of council: but no charter of pardon, granted by the governor, with advice of the council before conviction, shall avail the party pleading the same, notwithstanding any general or particular expressions contained therein, descriptive of the offence or offences intended to be pardoned.] [Annulled and superseded by Amendments, Art. LXXIII.]
Terms Used In Massachusetts Constitution > Part II > Chapter II Section I > Article VIII
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.