time, or be repealed; provided, nothing herein contained shall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 bene-
fit of such corporation except upon the condition that such
corporation shall surrender all claim to exemption from taxa-
tion or from the repeal or modification of its charter, and that
such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to
the provisions of this Constitution; and any corporation char-
tered by this State which shall accept, use, enjoy or in any
wise avail itself of any rights, privileges, or advantages that
may hereafter be granted or conferred by any general or spe-
cial Act, shall be conclusively presumed to have thereby sur-
rendered any exemption from taxation to which it may be en-
titled under its charter, and shall be thereafter subject to tax-
ation as if no such exemption has been granted by its
charter.*

New Central Coal Co. vs. George's Creek Coal and Iron Co., 37 Md..
537. Montell & Co. vs. Consolidated Coal Co., 38 Md., 164. State vs.
Northern Central R. R. Co., 44 Md., 131. Reed vs. Balto. Trust and
Guarantee Co, 72 Md., 531. Jackson vs. Walsh, 75 Md., 304. Webster
vs. Cambridge Female Seminary, 78 Md., 193. Phinney vs. Sheppard
Hospital, 88 Md., 638. State vs. N. C. By. Co., 90 Md., 471. Scholle vs.
State, 90 Md., 734. Mealey vs. Hagerstown, 92 Md., 745.

SEC. 49. The General Assembly shall have power to regu-
late by law, not inconsistent with this Constitution, all mat-
ters which relate to the Judges of Election, time, place and
manner of holding elections in this State, and of making re-
tnrns thereof.
Lankford vs. Commrs. Somerset Co., 73 Md., 105.

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 corporation, in
order to influence him in the performance of any of his offi-
cial duties; and also, to provide by law for the punishment,
by fine, or imprisonment in the penitentiary, or both, in the
discretion of the court, of any of said officers, or members,
who shall demand or receive any bribe, fee, reward or tes-
timonial for the performance of his official duties, or for neg-
lecting or failing to perform the same; and also, to provide

*Thus amended by Chapter 196, Acts of 1890, ratifled by the people Novem-
ber 3, 1891.