Clearing hurdles was not all that happened. We're talking, remember, about protectionism - it's not enough to clear the hurdles in front of us, we must do our best to throw them in front of others.
Unless a case can be made that only industries critical to defense were protected, then I don't think that you can claim political necessity as justification for a tarrif. You can say all you want that there was no abuse, but someone got rich.
Someone getting rich is no indication of abuse except to a commie. Protectionism was a way of clearing the hurdles erected by the British Empire which had repressed manufacturing in this country. What better way to encourage those industries purposely destroyed by Imperial policy than through tariffs and bounties.
Defense was of an overriding importance to Hamilton.