Why was Missouri territorial governor against the idea of slowly getting rid of slavery in Missouri?

Missouri's territorial governor opposed the gradual abolition of slavery because he believed it would disrupt the economic stability and social order of the territory, which relied heavily on slave labor for agriculture and other industries. He feared that gradual emancipation could lead to unrest among both enslaved individuals and slaveholders, potentially inciting conflict. Additionally, he was concerned that it would undermine Missouri's status as a slave state in the broader national context, especially amidst tensions over the expansion of slavery into new territories.