§ The Earl of Coventrysaid, he was intrusted with a petition from the county of Worcester, most numerously signed by 3,200 persons, complaining of agricultural distress, and praying for relief. None of the junior branches of families were included amongst the signatures. The petitioners were 885 all individuals practising agricultural pursuits. As to the payment of rent, so far as he was concerned, he had no cause to complain; but he understood some of those payments were made out of capital, which he thought was a very hard measure, as it affected people who were willing to work, and who ought to be enabled to support themselves by the fair profit of their labour. It was said, that the present distress was in a great measure occasioned by the change in the currency. He did not understand that subject, and therefore he had not grappled with it; but he had seen the opinions of others with respect to it, and those opinions he would be ready to state to their Lordships when any proposition on the subject of agricultural distress was brought before the House. He thought, that it could do no harm to entertain that question; but, on the contrary, if it were deemed worthy of consideration, that the investigation might do much good. He believed there was not one of their Lordships who did not feel anxious for the prosperity of the agricultural interest, and, in touching upon this question, he had not the least idea of embarrassing his Majesty's Government; more especially as a noble Lord in the other House had admitted, that agricultural distress did exist, and expressed a strong desire to grant every possible relief. He presented the petition purely and simply as it had been put into his hand; agreeing with the petitioners, that, if even no relief were granted, the subject was one which deserved their Lordships' first consideration.