Having a balance between slave and free states ensured that neither group held a dominant majority in the Senate. This balance was crucial for maintaining political stability and preventing legislation that could significantly favor one side over the other. It allowed for compromise and negotiation, as neither faction could pass laws without the support of the other.
The importance of maintaining this equilibrium can be seen in several historical instances, particularly during the lead-up to the Civil War. The admission of new states into the Union often became a contentious issue, as it disrupted the delicate balance between slave and free states. For instance, the admission of California as a free state in 1850 led to a series of compromises, known as the Compromise of 1850, to appease the Southern states and maintain the balance.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820, which temporarily resolved tensions over the expansion of slavery into new territories, was also driven by the need to preserve an equal number of slave and free states. The compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the equilibrium in the Senate.
However, the balance became increasingly difficult to maintain as new territories were acquired and the nation expanded westward. The debate over slavery and the extension of its reach into new territories ultimately led to the Civil War, which ended with the abolition of slavery and a fundamental change in the nation's political landscape.