Why did free states like The Missouri Compromise?

Free states supported the Missouri Compromise because it maintained a balance between free and slave states in the Union, which was crucial for political stability. By allowing Missouri to enter as a slave state while Maine entered as a free state, the compromise aimed to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories and mitigate sectional tensions. Additionally, it established the 36°30′ line, which limited slavery's expansion in future states north of that latitude, appealing to free states' interests in curbing slavery's reach.