The Charles Dickens Letters Project

Period: 
1841-1850
Theme(s): 
social issues
The Daily News

To HARRIETT SCOTT RUSSELL,1 16 NOVEMBER 1849

MS Mrs Chicky Di Martino 

DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, 

Sixteenth November 1849.

Dear Madam 

I beg to thank you for your letter. I do not believe there are many intelligent people disposed to uphold Public Executions,2 but I hope to find out before long.

Faithfully Yours

CHARLES DICKENS

Mrs Scott Russell

  • 1. Harriett, née Osborne (1808-88), wife of John Scott Russell (1808-82), civil engineer and shipbuilder, who was hired by CD as railway editor on the Daily News.
  • 2. CD had outspoken views on capital punishment, and contributed five letters to the Daily News on the subject in 1846 (23, 28 February; 9, 13 and 16 March).