Amnesty refers to a blanket overlooking of an offense by the
government, with the legal result that those charged or
convicted have the charge or conviction wiped out. Amnesty is
usually granted because the war or other conditions that made
the acts criminal no longer exist or have faded in importance.
Amnesty is often granted after a revolution or civil war when
the victorious side extends amnesty to the losers. For example,
amnesty was given to Confederate officials and soldiers after
the Civil War, and has been granted to illegal aliens at times
to allow them to stay legally in the country. Amnesty differs
from a pardon because amnesty is the abolition and forgetfulness
of the offence, whereas a pardon is forgiveness. A pardon is
always given to an individual who hs been convicted, amnesty may
be granted to a group or class of people who may or may not have
been convicted of an offense.