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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Alexander Spotswood to the Virginia House of Burgesses
Spotswood, Alexander, 1676-1740
December 07, 1713
Volume 02, Pages 78-79

[From Calendar of Virginia State Papers. Vol. 1. P. 170.]
MESSAGE OF GOV. SPOTSWOOD TO THE H. OF BURGESSES IN REGARD TO THE RELIEF AFFORDED THE PEOPLE OF N. CAROLINA.

December 7th 1713.

Mr Speaker & Gents of ye
House of Burgesses—,

I herewith send you a particular Acct of what has been expended out of the sum, you appropriated last session for ye Relief of No Carolina, & as ye proper vouchers that accompany it may

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sufficiently testify yt there has been no Fraud, so I'm persuaded each Article will show that there has been neither Extravagance nor Negligence in ye Disbursements & I can further assure you, yt every material expence has been always first resolved on in Council—I have not only supplyed that distracted Province wth more cloathing than their Presdt asked, & furnished whatever Ammunition & Stores of war he wrote for, but have also prefsed that Governmt by repeated letters to give me a meeting at such time & place as their Presdt should think convenient, in order to concert the most effectual measures for our assisting them: & even at last, to urge them to it, I undertook in ye depth of winter a journey to South Key. but it was thought fitting to send to meet me then only two Persons, who had no other Powers, than to receive ye cloathing, and to hear what I had to propose, & those Deputys plainly declared, that if I marcht any men to their assistance, I was not to expect from their Country, any Provisions for them, & that tho their Afsembly by their address (wch moved you Gents of ye House of Burgefses, to grant the supply last Session) had solemnly promised to provide the same, yet would not their Government agree to give the least security for reimbursing me, if I did find out means to furnish the Provisions—Thus have I been necessitated to confine my undertakings against ye Tuscoroura Indians, to this side of Roanoke River, where I might have it in my power to subsist the men, that were commanded out—: & as I have in this service, chiefly made use of the Rangers, who are paid by another fund, & of our Tributary Indians, who are always willing to march out for small Rewards, I have not expended half the sum I was entrusted with—But seeing that after all my zealous Endeavours & the Trouble & Expence, I have myself for these 3 years last past been at in behalf of our neighbours in No Carolina, they have continually frustrated my Designs & put the worst construction upon them, how honestly or affectionately soever I laid them for that Countrys' Service, I must now desire to surrender my Trust, not doubting but the seven hundred & odd pounds wch remain, can be readily applyed for the Security & benefit of such of her Matys Subts as will not prove ungratefull—