Office was concerned
their affairs were in an anomalous and unsatisfactory condition, while
factional feuds were adding to the difficulties and retarding the prog-
ress of the band. In thespringof that year a visiting delegation from
the Cherokee Nation west had extended to them an urgent imitation
to remove to Indian Territory and the Indian Office had encouraged
the project, with the result that lt',1 persons of the band removed dur-
ing the year to Indian Territory, the expense being borne by the
Government. Others were represented as being desirous to remove,
and the Commissioner recommended an appropriation for the purpose,
but as Congress failed to act the matter was dropped. 3
The neglected condition of the Ea.st Cherokee having been brought
to the attention of those old-time friends of the Indian, the Quakers,
through an appeal made in their behalfby members of that society
residing in North Carolina, the Western Yearly Meeting, of Indiana,
volunteered to undertake the work of civilization and education. On
May 31, L881, representatives of the Friends entered into a contract
with the Indians, subject to approval by the Government, to establish
and continue among them for ten years an industrial school and other
common schools, to lie supported in part from the annual interest of
the trust fund held by the Government to the credit of the East Chero-
kee and in part by funds furnished by the Friends themselves. Through
the efforts of Barnabas C. Hobbs, of the Western Yearly Meeting, a
yearly contract to the same effect was entered into with the Commis-
! Report of Agent W. C. McCarthy, Report of Indian Commissioner, pp. 343-344, 1875; and Report of
Indian Commissione,