The states' rights issue was a question of each states' relationship to: other state governments
the federal government
local governments

Initially, northerners did not want missouri to be included in the union because 1.) maine would not be allowed to enter the union as a free state 2.) missouri wanted to enter the union as a free state 3.) missouri wanted to enter the union as a slave state 4.) maine would not be allowed to enter the union as a slave state