“the next matter i shall recommend to you is the providing more effectively for the security of your frontiers against [american] indians, who notwithstanding the many parties of rangers [militia, or local men who volunteered for colonial defense] have . . killed and carried off at least twenty of our outward inhabitants and indian allies; i have attempted by several ways to oppose those [invasions] but after some trouble and expense have only experienced that our people are not ready for warlike undertakings. . the [condition of our indian allies has] of late approved themselves to be ready and faithfully allied, and i am persuaded that setting them along our frontiers without all our inhabitants . . would be a better and cheaper safeguard to the country than the old method of rangers.”
virginia governor alexander spotswood, addressing the members of the house of burgesses, 1713
the point of view expressed by the virginia governor in the excerpt is that he
opposes the expansion of colonial settlements into western lands where white settlers could encounter violent opposition from america indians
a
believes that white virginians must learn to protect themselves if they are to expand their settlements
b
values the lives of white virginians equally with those of allied american indians
c
feels a responsibility to protect white frontier settlers from violent encounters with american indians