ART. III] LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. 67

All Charters granted or adopted in pursuance of this section, and all
Charters heretofore granted and created, subject to repeal or modifica-
tion, may be altered, from time to time, or be repealed; provided,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.

[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; all charters granted or adopted in pursuance
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repealed; provided, nothing herein contained shall be construed to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 surrender all claim to exemption from taxation
or from the repeal or modification of its charter, and that such corpora-
tion shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions 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 confered by any general
or special Act, shall be conclusively presumed to have thereby sur-
rendered 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 regulate 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, to provide by Law
for the punishment, by fine, or imprisonment 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 Mary-
land, 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 official 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 testi-
monial for the performance of his official duties, or for neglecting or

*As amended by Chapter 195, Acts of 1890, ratified by the people November
3, 1891.