Unless Ganymeade27 wants to explain what about your understanding is lacking I'd ignore their criticism. I'd also encourage them to take their own advice as I don't believe any modern definition of plead would make sense in this instance. 200 years ago when plead could be used similarly to 'declare' it would've fit but that's no longer the case. Language is ever evolving, which makes their advice good practice in general but the smug implication that your understanding in this instance is lacking is as far as i'm aware, untrue.