MUTATIS MUTANDIS. The necessary changes. This is a phrase of frequent practical occurrence, meaning that matters or things are generally the same, but to be altered, when necessary, as to names, offices, and the like.

MUTE, persons. One who is dumb. Vide Deaf and Dumb.

MUTE, STANDING¹ MUTE, practice, crim. law. When a prisoner upon his arraignment² totally refuses to answer, insists upon mere³ frivolous⁴ pretences⁵, or refuses to put himself upon the country, after pleading not guilty, he is said to stand mute. 2. In the case of the United States v. Hare, et al., Circuit Court, Maryland Dist. May sess. 1818, the prisoner standing mute was considered as if he had pleaded not guilty.

3. The act of congress of March 3, 1825, 3 Story's L . U. S. 2002, has since provided as follows; 14, That if any person, upon his or her arraignment upon any indictment⁶ before any court of the United States for any offence, not capital, shall stand mute, or will not answer or plead to such indictment, the court shall, notwithstanding, proceed to the trial of the person, so standing mute, or refusing to answer or pleas, as if he or she had pleaded not guilty; and upon a verdict being returned by the jury, may proceed to render judgment⁷ accordingly. A similar provision is to be found in the laws of Pennsylvania.

4. The barbarous punishment of peine forte⁸ et dure which till lately disgraced the criminal code of England, was never known in the United States. Vide Dumb; 15 Vin. Ab. 527.

5. When a prisoner stands mute, the laws of England arrive at the forced conclusion that he is guilty, and punish him accordingly. 1 Chit. Cr. Law, 428.

6. By the old French law, when a person accused was mute, or stood mute, it was the duty of the judge to appoint him a curator, whose duty it was to defend him, in the best manner he could; and for this purpose, he was allowed to communicate with him privately⁹. Poth. Proced. Crim. s. 4, art. 2, 1.

MUTILATION, crim. law. The depriving a man of the use of any of those limbs, which may be useful to him in fight, the loss of which amounts to mayhem. 1 Bl. Com. 130.

MUTINY, crimes. The unlawful resistance of a superior officer, or the raising of commotions¹⁰ and disturbances¹¹ on board of a ship against the authority of its commander, or in the army in opposition¹² to the authority of the officers; a sedition¹³; (q. v.) a revolt. (q. v.)

2. By the act for establishing rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States, it is enacted¹⁴ as follows: Article 7. Any officer or soldier, who shall begin, excite, or cause, or join in, any mutiny or sedition in any troop or company in the service of the United States, or in any party, post, detachment or guard, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as by a court martial¹⁵ shall be inflicted¹⁶. Article 8. Any officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, who being present at any mutiny or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavors to suppress the same, or coming to the knowledge of any intended mutiny, does not without delay give information thereof to his commanding officer, shall be punished by the sentence of a court martial, with death, or otherwise, according to the nature of his offence.

3. And by the act for the better government of the navy of the United States, it is enacted as follows,: Article 13. If any person in the navy shall make or attempt to make any mutinous¹⁷ assembly, he shall, on conviction thereof by, a court martial, suffer death; and if any person as aforesaid, shall utter any seditious or mutinous words, or shall conceal¹⁸ or connive¹⁹ at any mutinous or seditious practices, or shall treat with contempt his superior, being in the execution of his office, or being witness to any mutiny or sedition, shall not do his utmost to suppress it, he shall be punished at the discretion²⁰ of a court martial. Vide 2 Stra. R. 1264.