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 gen-
eral character as the corporation proposed to be created, and
any act of incorporation passed in violation of this section
hall be void; all charters granted or adopted in pursuance
of this section, and all charters heretofore granted and cre-
ated subject to repeal or modification, may be altered from
time to time, or be repealed; provided, nothing herein con-
tained shall be construed to extend to banks or the incor-
poration 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 surrender all claim
to exemption from taxation or from the repeal or modifica-
tion of its charter, and that such corporation shall thereafter
hold its charter subject to the provisions of this Constitu-
tion ; and any corporation' chartered 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 special Act, hall be
conclusively presumed to have thereby surrendered any ex-
emption 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 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-
turns 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 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,

* Thus amended by Chapter 195, Acts of 1880, ratified by the people
November 3, 1891.