"Against."

Why do these humans suck so much. 

"I vote in favor." 

"In favor!"

Damn it, Vivas, she asked for a vote on 'Emancipation,' not 'Abolition'. There are probably no people in this room besides Ramirez who care about the distinction, but -

What'll it be, Antonio? Fully embrace the radicals or try one last time to stake out a moderate position? The radicals are ascendant here for the moment, but... A divided committee won't look good on the floor. It may still be possible to propose a compromise the halflings will think is giving up barely anything and the slaveowners will think is the best they can get.

"Aye to emancipation. Aye to abolition as well, but that may depend on the particular implementation."

Uncommitted. Still courting both sides.

"- aren't those the same?"

Shit! They aren't the same?

Liushna does NOT speak Chelish well enough to say anything here but she is listening intently. 

"I vote in favor of emancipation. We can vote on abolition next."

"...What is difference?" 

"To my understanding, emancipation would not prevent future slavery, rather it would only free current slaves. I misheard Permira when she proposed emancipation—I had expected her to propose abolition."

"...Well, vote yes to both, obviously." 

"Against both. Obviously."

He nudges Amadeu. Idiot goes and gets himself kicked out of the chair and then can't even be bothered to vote.

"This vote is not legitimate," he hisses quietly to Livi. 

"Are you going to try to sell the Archmage on that? He's the one who invited these monsters."

"The floor can still vote down the findings of the committee. We can record dissent."

"As Delegate Vivas says, emancipation is freeing all the slaves and abolition is saying that nobody can ever be made a slave again. I think," as of fifteen minutes ago, "that we should free almost all the slaves that exist now, and that everyone should be born free, and that no race of people be enslaved or in any way be treated differently by the law with regards to slavery, but that some people - murderers, bandits, raiders, vile men who might otherwise be put to death -" he looks the smallfolk leader in the eye and tilts his head eeeever so slightly and briefly toward Moles, in case that's the kind of ironic revenge that would appeal to her. " - might still be made to work as punishment."

"If all the judges are humans they'll find an excuse to sentence all the halflings to slavery tomorrow," says Permira, who understands some facets of the Chelish legal system very well.

"Perhaps we'll need a Committee on the Appointment of Magistrates, then."

"I vote no," Amadeu bites out, looking like he's biting into a lemon and not one of those people who enjoys that. 

"The proposal for emancipation passes, 6/3. Now, how does this committee vote on the abolition of slavery within Cheliax?"

"Against."

"Against, like I said earlier."

He sighs. "Against, for now."

"For."