CONSTITUTION. 55

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 no genera! Laws exist,
providing for the creation of corporations of the same
general character as the corporation proposed to be created;
and any act of incorporation passed in violation of this sec-
tion shall be void; all charters granted or adopted in pur-
suance of this section, and all charters heretofore granted
and created subject to repeal or modification, may be altered
from time to time, or be repealed; provided, nothing
herein contained shall be construed to extend to banks, or
the incorporation thereof; the General Assembly shall not
alter or amend the charter of any corporation existing at
the time of the adoption of this Article, or pass any other
general or special Law for the benefit of such corporation,
except upon the condition that such corporation shall sur-
render all claim to exemption from taxation or from the
repeal or modification of its charter, and that such cor-
poration shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the pro-
visions of this Constitution; and any corporation chartered
by this State which shall accept, use, enjoy or in anywise
avail itself of any rights, privileges, or advantages that may
hereafter be granted or conferred by any general or special
Act, shall be conclusively presumed to have thereby surren-
dered any exemption from taxation to which it may be
entitled under its charter, and shall be thereafter subject to
taxation as if no such exemption has been granted by its
charter.

SEC. 49. The General Assembly shall have power to reg-
ulate by Law, not inconsistent with this Constitution, all
matters which relate to the Judges of Election, time, place
and manner of holding elections in this State, and of mak-
ing returns thereof.

SEC. 50. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly, at
its first session, held after the adoption of this Constitution,
to provide by law for the punishment, by fine or imprison-
ment in the Penitentiary, or both, in the discretion of the
Court, of any person, who shall bribe, or attempt to bribe
any Executive, or Judicial officer of the State of Maryland,
or any member, or officer of the General Assembly of the
State of Maryland, or of any Municipal Corporation in the
State of Maryland, or any executive officer of such corpo-
ration, in order to influence him in the performance of any