Feature Crime in the City of Brotherly Love At its founding, Pennsylvania had one of the most tolerant criminal law systems in the world, but by the middle of the 18th century its capital Philadelphia was a ‘hell of the officials and preachers’. Daniel Johnson | Published in History Today Volume 72 Issue 1 January 2022 Philadelphia waterfront, 18th-century coloured engraving. Alamy. To continue reading this article you will need to purchase access to the online archive. Buy Online Access Buy Print & Archive Subscription If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.