CONSTITUTION — ART. III.

71

SEC 39. The General Assembly shall grant no charter for banking purposes,
nor renew any bunking corporation now in existence, except upon condition
that the stockholders shall be liable to the amount of their respective share or

Banks
1863, c 441.
1854, c 152.

shares of stock in such banking institution for all its debts and liabilities upon
note, bill, or otherwise; the books, papers, and accounts of nil banks shall be
open to inspection under such regulations as may be prescribed by law.

Books to be
open.

SEC. 40. The General Assembly shall enact no law authorizing private prop-
erty to be taken for public use without just compensation as agreed upon be-
tween the parties, or awarded by a jury, being first paid or tendered to the party
entitled to such compensation.

& J 479, 2 G 20, 5 G 388, 2 Bl 99, 673, 3 Bl 95 386, 453, 1 Md Ch 107, 248, 1 Md 553, 5 Md
237, 314, 7 Md 500, 10 Md 544, 14 Md 444, 15 Md 199, 240, 22 Md 229, 1833, c 179

Compensation
for property
taken for public
use
46 Md 1, 37 Md
537, 34 Md 336,
4 G & J. 1, 9 G

SEC 41 Any citizen of this State who shall after the adoption of this Con-
stitution, either in or out of the State, fight a duel with deadly weapons, or
send or accept a challenge so to do, or who shall act as a second, or knowingly
aid or assist in any manner those offending, shall, ever thereafter, be incapable
of holding any office of profit or trust under this State, unless relieved from the

Duellists
ineligible

disability by an act of the legislature.
SEC 42 The General Assembly shall pass laws necessary for the preserva-

Purity of
elections

tion of the purity of elections.
SEC 43 The property of the wife shall be protected from the debts of the
husband
SEC. 44. Laws shall be passed by the General Assembly, to protect from exe-
cution a reasonable amount of the property of the debtor, not exceeding in
value the sum of five hundred dollars.

Wife's property
protected
12 Md 294, 19
Md 9, 1853, c
245, 335
Exemption
laws

SEC 45 The General Assembly shall provide a simple and uniform system
of charges in the offices of clerks of courts and registers of wills, in the counties
of this State and the city of Baltimore, and for the collection thereof, provided
the amount of compensation to any of the said officers in the various counties
shall not exceed the sura of three thousand dollars a year, and m the city of
Baltimore thirty-five hundred dollars a year, over and above office expenses
and compensation to assistants; and provided further, t h ut such compensation
of clerks, registers, assistants, and office expenses shall always be paid out of
the fees or receipts of the offices respectively

Compensation
to clerks and
registers
1852, c 308

SEC 46 The General Assembly shall have power to receive from the United
States any grant or donation of land, money, or securities for any purpose des-
ignated by the United States, and shall administer or distribute the same ac-
cording to the conditions of the said grant.

Legislature
may receive
land from U S.
37 Md 125.

SEC. 47 The General Assembly shall make provisions for all cases of con-
tested elections of any of the officers not herein provided for
SEC. 48 Corporations may be formed under general laws, but shall not be
created by special act, except for municipal purposes, and except in cases where

Contested
elections
17 Md 309
1853, c 244.
43 Md 572

no general laws exist providing for the creation of corporations of the same
general character as the corporation proposed to be created; and any act of in-
corporation passed in violation of this section shall be void And as soon as
practicable, after the adoption of this Constitution, it shall be the duty of the
governor to appoint three persons learned in the law, whose duty it shall be to
prepare drafts of general laws providing for the creation of corporations in such
cases as may be proper, and for all other cases where a general law can be
made; and for revising and amending, so far as may be necessary or expedient,
the general laws which may be in existence on the first day of June, eighteen
hundred and sixty-seven, providing for the creation of corporations and for

Corporation to
be formed under
general laws
1852, c 231, 1853,
c 320, 1854, c
147, 1867, c 879,
44 Md 133, 39
Md 164, 37 Md.
537, 34 Md 503

other purposes; and such drafts of laws shall by said commissioners be sub-
mitted to the General Assembly at its first meeting for its action thereon; and
each of said commissioners shall receive a compensation of five hundred dollars
for his services as such commissioner.

Commissioners
to revise laws