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Sec. 47. The General Assembly shall pass laws requiring
the President, Directors, Trustees or Agents of corporations,
created or authorized by the laws of this State; Teachers or
Superintendents of the Public Schools, Colleges or other in-
stitutions of learning; Attorneys-at-Law, Jurors and such
other persons as the General Assembly shall, from time to
time prescribe, to take the oath of allegiance to the United
States set forth in the first article of this Constitution.

Sec. 48. The General Assembly shall have power to accept
the cession of any territory contiguous to this State, 'from the
States of Virginia and West Virginia or from the United
States, with the consent of Congress and of the inhabitants of
such ceded territory, and in case of such cessions, the General
Assembly may divide such territory into counties, and shall
provide for the representation of the same in the General As-
sembly on the basis fixed by this Constitution, and may for
that purpose increase the number of Senators and Delegates.
And the General Assembly shall enact such laws as may be
required to extend the Constitution and laws of this State over
such territory, and may create courts conformably to the Con-
stitution for such territory, and may for that purpose increase
the number of Judges of the Court of Appeals.

Sec. 49. The General Assembly shall provide by law for
the registration of births, marriages and deaths, and shall
pass laws providing for the celebration of marriage between
any person legally competent to contract marriage, and shall
provide that any persons -prevented by conscientious scruples
from being married by any of the existing provisions of law,
may be married by any Judge or Clerk of any Court of Re-
cord, or any Mayor of any incorporated city in this State.

Sec. 50. The rate of interest in this State shall not exceed
six per centum per annum, and no higher rate shall be taken
or demanded; and the General Assembly shall provide by
law all necessary forfeitures and penalties against usury.

Sec. 51. Corporations may be formed under general laws,
but shall not be created by special act, except for municipal
purposes,, and in cases where, in the judgment of the General
Assembly, the object of the corporation cannot be attained
under general laws. All laws and special acts, pursuant to
this section, may be altered from time to time, or repealed;
provided, nothing herein contained shall be construed to
alter, change or amend, in any manner, the section in relation
to Banks.

Sec. 52. The Governor, Comptroller and Treasurer of the
State, are hereby authorized, conjointly, or any two of them,