But not for protectionism as a means of "bolstering" the American economy. He understood that there might be a need for protecting industries vital to national security, and that the threat of protectionism can be used to open foreign markets. The notion that "protectionism is good for our general welfare" is definitely not his.
As for your comment that you "don't fear free markets," in a semantic sense you are correct. You simply fear people who believe in free markets, as evidenced by some of your comments on this thread.