Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Papal Secretary of State. Librarian and Archivist of the Church. Papabile in the conclave of 1903 but Emperor Francis Joseph I imposed the veto jus exclusivae. 
 
LS - Letter Signed, one page, 26 October 1887. Written to James Laird Patterson (1822-1902), a British Catholic bishop. Letter reads: I thank Your Excellency for the news provided to me in your letter of the 22nd of this month. Regarding the news of Mgr. Persico’s (future cardinal) passage through London, I must tell you that it is not yet exact as the Holy Father has not yet made any decision regarding the departure of said prelate. It only remains to confirm this with the assurances of my most distinguished esteem. 
 
Patterson was Master of Ceremonies to Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman from 1850-65) and represented the cardinal in Rome during the forced retirement of Bishop George Errington in 1860. He was subsequently appointed by Cardinal Manning to serve as president of St. Edmund’s College for 10 years. In 1880 he was consecrated bishop to assume the see of Northampton. Ill health prevented him from taking the post and he remained in London the remainder of his life.