Why did Henry clay want to help slaves and end slavery in the US?

Henry Clay, a prominent American statesman, did not primarily advocate for the abolition of slavery; rather, he sought to manage and mitigate the tensions between slave and free states. He believed in a gradual emancipation approach and supported colonization efforts to resettle freed slaves in Africa. Clay's main goal was to preserve the Union and maintain political stability by finding compromises that would address the contentious issue of slavery without inciting further conflict. His efforts, such as the Missouri Compromise, aimed at balancing the interests of both pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.