ART. 11.] MAY BECOME NATIONAL BANKS. 97

denomination than five dollars, but no note shall be issued of a
less denomination than one dollar; and nothing herein shall be
construed to enlarge the total amount of the notes to be issued
by any bank, beyond what is now allowed by law.

1865, ch. 144, sec. 1.

12. Any bank, savings institution or savings bank, incorpor-
ated under the laws of this State, may become an association for
the purpose of banking under the laws of the United States;
provided, it shall first comply with all the requirements of the
act of the first session of the thirty-eighth congress of the United
States, entitled, " An act to provide a national currency secured
by a pledge of the United States bonds, and to provide for the
circulation and redemption thereof."

Ibid. sec. 2.

13. Before any bank, savings institution or savings bank of
this State shall avail itself of said privilege, and of the aforesaid
act of congress, its stockholders, by and with the written advice
and consent of the owners of three-fourths of the capital stock of
said bank, savings institution or savings bank, or at a special
meeting called for the purpose, shall decide whether the said
bank, savings institution or savings bank shall or shall not
become an association for the purpose of banking under the laws
of the United States; and at said meeting every stockholder may
cast one vote for each share of stock held by him or her; and
every stockholder who shall be absent from said meeting may
vote by proxy; and every executor, administrator, guardian, or
trustee holding stock in said bank, savings institution or savings
bank, may vote in person or by proxy, without incurring any
responsibility by such vote; and the treasurer of Maryland is
hereby authorized and directed to represent and vote the stock
held by the State in any of the banks, savings institution or
savings bank of this State; and if, on casting up the vote at the
said meeting, it shall appear that the owners of two-thirds of the
capital stock of said bank, savings institution or savings bank,
are in favor of converting the said bank, savings institution or
savings bank into an association for the purpose of banking
under the laws of the United States, the directors of said bank,
7