Scope of provision 327
Denial of future privileges to past offenders 327
Changes in punishment 328
Changes in procedure 328
Obligation of contracts 329
Definition of terms 329
"Law" 329
Status of judicial decisions 329
"Obligation" 332
"Impair" 332
"Contracts," extended to cover public contracts 332
Fletcher _v._ Peck 335
New Jersey _v._ Wilson 336
Corporate charters; Different ways of regarding 336
Dartmouth College case 338
Classes of cases under the clause 339
Public grants 339
Municipal corporations 339
Public offices 340
Revocable privileges versus "contracts": Tax exemptions 341
Vested rights 343
Reservation of the right to alter and repeal 343
Right to reserve: When limited 343
Corporations as persons subject to the law 345
Corporations and the police power 345
Strict construction of public grants 346
Charles River Bridge case 346
Application of the strict construction rule 346
Strict construction of tax exemptions 347
Strict construction and the police power 348