No. 237.
Mr. Davis to Mr. Richmond.

No. 87.]

Sir: I have to inclose herewith for your information copies of communications addressed to the President from the Hon. J. B. Beck, United States Senator from Kentucky, his excellency Governor Knott, of Kentucky, and the Hon. S. B. Berry, also of Kentucky, requesting that steps be taken to obtain permission from the Italian Government for the Reverend Father Valentine Theodore Lanciotti, a native of Ciciliano, Italy, to visit his aged father, who still resides at that place.

It appears that the reverend father, after being called upon to perform military service in the Italian army, secretly left Italy in 1870 for the United States, and has since become a citizen of this country.

He very naturally anticipates trouble upon his contemplated visit to Italy, and has, through his friends in Kentucky where he is engaged as vice-president of St. Mary’s College, requested the President to intervene [Page 337] with the Italian Government and request that he be permitted to visit his native land unmolested.

It is represented that Biagio Lanciotti, the father of the applicant, is now eighty years of age, and is anxious to see his son in order to arrange his worldly affairs.

It is also represented that Biagio Lanciotti furnished the Italian army with a son who performed the services due from the reverend father.

In view of these representations you are instructed to request the desired permission of the foreign office of Italy.

I am, &c.,

JOHN DAVIS,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 87.]

Mr. Beck to Mr. Davis.

Dear Sir: I inclose you communications addressed to the President from the Hon. Samuel B. Berry, of Lebanon, Ky., and from Governor Knott and myself, which I would be much obliged if you would lay before the President and give us such aid in obtaining favorable action from him as you consistently can.

I have taken the liberty to send the papers to you instead of sending directly to the President, first because I wanted your advice and assistance, not knowing what power the President has in regard to such matters, and thinking that he as well as myself might need your advice as to what could be done and bow to do it. Secondly, I did not know whether the President was in Washington, and as the matter required action through the State Department I thought it would more certainly be attended through you than any one else.

Your kind attention to this will very much oblige,

Yours, &c.,

JAS. B. BECK.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 87.]

Mr. Beck to the President.

Mr. President: Hon. John Davis, Assistant Secretary of State, will lay before you, at my request, communications from Governor Knott, of Kentucky, and Hon. Samuel B. Berry, relative to the aid desired to enable the vice-president of St. Mary’s College, Marion County, Kentucky, to visit Italy.

The reasons why your intervention is needed are so fully set forth in the inclosed letters from Governor Knott and Mr. Berry, that I could add nothing to their force by repeating them.

I have invoked the aid of Mr. Davis, as I am not advised what power you have to grant the request, but I feel assured that Mr. Davis can explain the manner in which your assistance can be given; and I feel sure that you will aid us in any way you can.

Very respectfully,

JAS. B. BECK.

P. S.—Please cause the reply to this to be directed to Hon. Samuel B. Berry, Lebanon, Ky.

[Inclosure 3 in No. 87.]

Mr. Berry to Mr. Beck.

Dear Sir: Inclosed you will find a letter from Governor Knott to yourself, also one from myself to Mr. Arthur, also one from Mr. Knott to the President.

They will explain themselves. It was intended to forward them to you whilst in Washington, but we were too late.

[Page 338]

Upon the face of the papers will you be kind enough to write a letter requesting Mr. Arthur to grant the favor asked, and return all to me with the name of some friend of yours in Washington who would take them in person to the President, or would you suggest some way to reach the object sought after?

Anything you do for us in the matter will be greatly appreciated by all of us, and no less by Mr. Knott. If you think best you may inclose my letter, Mr. Knott’s letter to the President, and your own letter to him, if you will be kind enough to write one. Father V. T. Lanciotti can furnish bond in any sum for his good behavior whilst abroad.

Hoping to hear from you, I am, &c.,

SAM. B. BERRY.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 87.]

Mr. Knott to Mr. Beck.

My Dear Beck: You will find accompanying this a letter from my friend Hon. Sam. B. Berry, and also one from myself to the President, requesting his assistance in procuring for Father Lanciotti permission to visit his parents in Italy. I wish you would personally interest yourself in the matter for several reasons. In the first place Father Lanciotti is a personal friend of mine, and in the next he is vice-president of St. Mary’s College, and any favor shown him will be appreciated not only by me, but by the host of friends and patrons of the college to whom he is well known and by whom he is much esteemed. You will know what steps to take in the matter better than I can tell you; therefore do whatever your wisdom may suggest.

Your friend, truly,

J. PROCTOR KNOTT.
[Inclosure 5 in No. 87.]

Mr. Berry to the President.

Your Excellency: As a kindness to my friend and former preceptor, I beg leave to submit the following to your Excellency for consideration:

Valentine Theodore Lanciotti, a native of Ciciliano, near Tivoli, Italy, left his country and came to Marion County, Kentucky, where he now resides. He left Italy in 1870, being then eighteen years of age, and his absenting himself was necessary to the accomplishment of his purpose in life. He had been designed by his parents for the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church, and his studies up to that time were so directed.

Early in 1870 he was called upon by the Italian army to enter its ranks. As this would forever defeat his ambition to be a priest, he secretly left his country and came here, and is now (having taken all legal steps) a citizen of the United States. Once safe under our protection he pursued his studies and became a priest, and is now the efficient vice-president of St. Mary’s College, Marion County, Kentucky, an institution of learning of great value in this section. That he might be better described to the Italian Government, I will say he is the son of Biagio Lanciotti, of Ciciliano, Italy. Mr. Lanciotti furnished the army of Italy with a son who took the place of Valentine.

This is his history in brief. Now comes his petition to your Excellency. His father is now old (being nearly eighty) and very anxious to see his priest boy again; besides he wants his son at home for a short time to arrange his few worldly goods before his death. Father Valentine has applied to the Secretary of State for information as to his safety in visiting Italy, and is informed, and correctly so, too, that the United States can give him no protection should he be molested in Italy. He therefore humbly asks your Excellency, if it be proper for you to do so, to request, through your Secretary of State, and through the Italian minister of the King of Italy, that he be allowed to visit his home for a few months this fall, hoping to be in Rome by the middle of September. If the Italian Government will send him letters of protection in this matter he will sail immediately; if not he must forever remain away. Your Excellency will observe from the prominent support Father Valentine is receiving before your Excellency that he is no criminal either of high or low degree, but simply the favorite son of an humble Italian farmer. He has been long and favorably known by Hon. J. Proctor Knott, our governor, who incloses a letter in this to your Excellency. [Page 339] Messrs. Beck and Williams, to whom I am personally known, together with. Messrs. Clay, Thompson, Robertson, of the lower house of Congress from Kentucky, will testify to my honesty in the matter; and all things considered I am strongly in hopes that your Excellency will grant this favor to the reverend gentleman, because it is the only solution to the difficulty. He would not trouble you in your many duties if the matter could be attended to or the object accomplished otherwise.

I know you will be willing to do all in your power, under the circumstances, consistent with your own personal dignity and that of the liberty-loving country over which you rule.

Hoping an early answer, &c.,

SAM. B. BERRY.
[Inclosure 6 in No. 87.]

Mr. Knott to the President.

Sir: I have the honor to hand you the inclosed communication from Hon. Samuel B. Berry, of Lebanon, Ky., requesting your excellency to use your good offices in obtaining from the Italian Government leave for Rev. Father Valentine Theodore Lanciotti, vice-president of St. Mary’s College, to visit his aged parents at Ciciliano, Italy, to which I beg leave to add my hearty indorsement.

I know Father Lanciotti intimately, and can commend him as a most excellent and exemplary gentleman, if, indeed, his position as second officer of one of the oldest and most distinguished institutions of learning in the valley of the Mississippi were not sufficient without it. I would be extremely gratified personally, as I am confident the very large circle of friends and patrons of the college as well as of Father Lanciotti would be, if the permission be asks could be obtained; and I trust I am not tresspassing either upon your time or your generous disposition in asking this favor for an esteemed neighbor and friend.

With sentiments, &c.,

J. PROCTOR KNOTT.