five hundred dollars a year, over and above office expenses,
and compensation to assistants; and provided further, that
such compensation of Clerks, Registers, assistants and office
expenses shall always be paid out of the fees, or receipts of
the offices, respectively.

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 designated by the
United States, and shall administer, or distribute the same
according to the conditions of the said grant.

SEC. 47. The General Assembly shall make provisions for
all cases of contested 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 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 incorporation passed in violation of this section shall
be void; all charters granted or adopted in pursuance of this
section, and all charters heretofore granted and created sub-
ject 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time, or be repealed; provided, nothing herein contained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 adop-
tion of this Article, or pass any other general or special 1aw
for the benefit of such corporation, except upon the condition
that such corporation shall surrender all claim to exemption
from taxation or from the repeal or modification of its char-
ter, and that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter
subject to the provisions of this Constitution; and any cor-
poration 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 surrendered 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 making
returns thereof.

SEC. 50. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly, at
its first session, held after the adoption of this Constitution,