Henry Clay was known for his skill in negotiation. Clay himself is oftentimes referred to as "The Great Negotiator" for his skill in bringing both sides together in Congress to pass laws. The Missouri Compromise was one of his crowning achievements wherein Missouri was to enter the Union as a slave state; however, Northerners felt that would tip the balance in Congress. Clay and others negotiated an outcome where Massachusetts would give up what is now Maine, which would then be made a free state in the North.
