66 CONSTITUTION OF MARYLAND. [ART. III

deadly weapons, or send or accept a challenge so to do, or who shall act
as a second, or knowingly aid or assist in any manner those offending,
shall ever thereafter be incapable of holding any office of profit or trust
under this State, unless relieved from the disability by an Act of the
Legislature.

Sec. 42. The General Assembly shall pass laws necessary for the
preservation of the purity of elections.

Sec. 43. The property of the wife shall be protected from the debts
of her husband.

Sec. 44. Laws shall be passed by the General Assembly to protect
from execution a reasonable amount of the property of the debtor, not
exceeding in value the sum of five hundred dollars.

Sec. 45. The General Assembly shall provide a simple and uniform
system of charges in the offices of Clerks of Courts and Registers of
Wills, in the Counties of this State and the City of Baltimore, and for
the collection thereof; provided, the amount of compensation to any
of the said officers in the various Counties shall not exceed the sum of
three thousand dollars a year, and in the City of Baltimore thirty-five
hundred dollars a year, over and above office expenses, and compensa-
tion 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 pro-
posed to be created; and any act of incorporation passed in violation of
this section shall be void. And as soon as practicable, after the adoption
of this Constitution, it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint three
persons learned in the Law, whose duty it shall be to prepare drafts of
general Laws, providing for the creation of corporations, in such cases
as may be proper, and for all other cases, where a general Law can be
made; and for revising and amending, so far as may be necessary or
expedient, the General Laws which may be in existence on the first day
of June, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, providing for the creation
of corporations, and for other purposes; and such drafts of Laws shall
by said commissioners, be submitted to the General Assembly, at its
first meeting, for its action thereon; and each of said commissioners
shall receive a compensation of five hundred dollars for his services, as
such commissioner.