On 1 August 1974 Haig met Ford privately. By Ford’s own account, Haig laid out how Nixon might leave, and one option was that Nixon would resign in return for a pardon from his successor. Ford did not refuse on the spot, and asked about the president’s power to pardon. [1]
Eight days later Ford was president. Thirty days after that he pardoned Nixon fully, before any charge. His press secretary quit. [2][3]
On this reading, no written contract was needed. The message had been delivered and received, the man who heard it became president because of the resignation, and he did exactly what had been floated.
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