There was one write up I came across, A Brief History of Free Trade. It summarizes Adam Smith's views, mercantilism, colonial American, and of today says
Free trade in the United States is a very highly contested debate, with strong emotions on both sides, and it has been one of the most debated economic theories since the 19th century. Arguments for and against free trade are not only economic, but are political and social as well. Those for free trade say it promotes prosperity for the country as well as the poor and lower economic classes. Those against say the opposite.
Insofar as this thread has not strayed into illogical tangents, it has done a fairly good job of arguing both sides. That's good, I think.