Well, you are right about the Brit Navy. What was their policy? All american sailers were really british traitors even 20 years after king charlie lost it……
At that time the sun never set on the british empire… Not even god trusted an englishmen in the dark… :-)
Thankfully, that sort of tom-foolery has been left far behind. Mind you we feel a bit bitter about the softwood lumber thing… So we just raise the price of oil to you down there, nadda prob :-)
I think during 1812 the US crushed the Laker fleet of the British. I believe your victorous admiral reported back to your president “We have met the enemy, and he is mine”, after capturing 1/2 the brit fleet and sinking the other half (or there abouts, you get the picture).
As for as congress and declarations… A rose by any other name is still… :-)
BB