I was this day invited by the Library Come to a conference with them.

They represented that in consequence of the amendment to their report, it became necessary to ascertain the value of the library & to obtain an authority from the two Houses to pay it, to enable them to do wch they enquired of me whether I could specify the sum that would be received for it. I replied that I was unable to state its value, and that I was certain that it would be much more agreeable to You that this should be done either by the come themselves or by disinterested persons; that I was persuaded that you would feel some delicacy, if not repugnance, to setting a value on Your own property, & that You might in forming the estimate from obvious motives1 be driven to the alternative of either depreciating its value, or of laying yourself open to the imputation of extravagance. I therefore proposed another course. That the Library should be estimated by some one sent for that purpose, or, wch I considered most advisable, that it should be brought to this place without delay, valued by the Committee, or by persons named by the Come, or by the Come & myself, that this valuation should be submitted to the Come, and if agreed to by them that2 a correspondent report & contract should be made to Congress, of whose approbation I did not entertain a doubt; that should, however, a different result ensue I would take the responsibility on myself.

To this the Come answered that they did not consider themselves authorised to take the proposed steps, & that having agreed to receive the library, even provisionally, Congress might be considered as committed in regard to a definitive agreement. They added that in ascertaining3 its value they did not wish any estimate, as made by you, to be submitted to them; that the information I might obtain would be entirely private & confidential; and that my proposition, that a certain sum would be received for it, wch sum they did not mean should be computed with close precision, would be accepted as the basis of a contract.

Our conversation conclusively exhibited their purpose not to proceed without a proposition analogous to that desired.

Upon the whole, although not insensible to the delicacy of the step, I would recommend that you authorise me to state that a sum not exceeding a specified amount will be received, & that to guard against any unjust imputation such sum within that amount will be taken as shall be the result of a valuation to be made after the library is on the spot.

Our political movements here, although as usual tardy, presage uncommon harmony.