In 1832, Congress was debating the idea of abolishing the protectionist policies that the state used at the time. The principal argument of the proposal’s supporters was that the system was not beneficial for the country in the long term and would eventually lead to ruin. However, there were also numerous opponents of the idea who claimed that the policies had expanded the economy and were necessary for its continued prosperity. Henry Clay, a Kentucky senator, represented their group in court and delivered a speech where he defended the American System and countered the arguments of its opponents.
Clay claimed that the protectionist policies of the United States were fundamentally similar to those of other countries, which sought to nourish internal trade. He claimed that, unlike the predictions of the policy’s opponents, the approach would bolster the country’s internal and external trade instead of favoring one over the other. Moreover, Clay described the potential damage that imported products from countries such as Mexico could cause to local industries. In his conception, the American System would protect domestic production without harming the country through the presence or overabundance of international trade.