The attorney general shall cause to be prosecuted all assessors and other officials for such delinquencies in connection with revenue laws as may become known; also all bonds of officers and others upon which any liability to the state has accrued. When any corporation shall have offended against the laws of the state, or misused, surrendered, abandoned, or forfeited its corporate authority, or any of its franchises or privileges, the attorney general shall cause proceedings to be instituted against it.