[David,]

Bombast was not only tolerated but expected in those days. A learned individual was one who had studied Greek, Latin, and oration. It's not completely hot air, but most of it is. The U.S. wanted Canada, or as much as we could 'liberate,' and we made the British Navy our unwitting tool as a pretext. But he couldn't come right out and say this...not would it have been entirely true.

[Steve R.]