“Though perhaps not conclusive, the widely shared sentiments of an ideal Senate: independent to be an effective check, small to promote deliberation, and selected (rather than elected) to improve both deliberation and control pushed the convention towards compromise” (Wirls, p. 77). Federalists, hoping for a more national composition, pushed for proportional representation within the Senate, however the desire shared by both groups for the Senate to be small soon led to the abandonment of proportional representation. “As support for proportional representation in the Senate was eroded by the issue of size and the role of state selection, equal representation emerged as the only viable alternative” (Wirls, p..