Background
Paulus was born in Axel, Zeelandic Flanders. His father was Axel"s mill-builder, schepen and mayor.
Paulus was born in Axel, Zeelandic Flanders. His father was Axel"s mill-builder, schepen and mayor.
In 1774, he became a student at Leiden and he graduated on 12 December 1775, with his dissertation a second publishing success.
After an education in "s-Hertogenbosch, he received his training from the Vlissingen rector Van Cruysselenbergen, in whose house he lived. He became a student in Utrecht in 1770. Paul became known nationwide through his bestselling book on the stadholder system, in which he opposed both the stadholder system and the duke of Brunswijk.
He established himself in 1776 as a lawyer at the Court of Holland in the Hague.
He again became nationally known in 1783 through his apologia for the city of Alkmaar, that was one of the first cities (after Schoonhoven) to pass a resolution to limit the influence of the stadholder. Paul was approached, meanwhile, to be one of the leaders of the Patriots, with whom he began to negotiate.
He was invited to come to consult for the Zeekantoor of the Admiralty of Amsterdam with princess Wilhelmina of Prussia and Joan Cornelis van der Hoop. In April 1785, he became Darn publicprosecutor (advocaat-fiscaal) for the Admiralty of the Maze, taking the initiative in its reorganisations.
After the events in Hattem, Paul refused to come to Het Loo, but probably was in friendly negotiations with the French ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Paul was banished in 1788 and left with his brother-in-law for Paris. He spoke with Mattheus Lestevenon, friendly between the quarrelling old-regents Valckenaer and Van Beyma. The French politicians and ministers received him with much regard.
Convinced of the ideals of the French Revolution, he turned against slavery and published a Dissertation on the question: In which senses can men be said to be? And which are the rights and duties that result? (In welken zin kunnen de menschen gezegd worden gelijk te zijn? En welke zijn de regten en pligten die daaruit voortvloeien?) In 1793 he was named "apostle of the mankind" (apostel der mensheid).
In 1795, he was one of the foremost men of the revolution. The next year he was appointed unanimously to become chairman of the Batavian Republic"s National Assembly.
At the inauguration, he caught a serious cold from which he died, in "s-Gravenhage, aged 41.
In 1780, he was involved in the controversy over the expansion of the fleet, defended by Admiral January Hendrik van Kinsbergen.
