Paul had some unsuccessful business ventures, and moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1851 to escape his creditors. He purchased the Kenosha Democrat in 1851, which he published through 1854. He was assistant clerk of the Wisconsin Senate in 1853; held the patronage post of postmaster of Kenosha from 1853 to 1861; was mayor of Kenosha from 1856 to 1858 and a member of the Kenosha County board of supervisors in 1857. When the Republicans won the 1860 election, Paul moved briefly to New York City, where he worked for the New YorkDaily News in 1861 before returning to Wisconsin.
He settled in Milwaukee, and found a job on the editorial staff of the Milwaukee Daily News. In 1862, with the financial backing of Alexander Mitchell, Paul and J. M. Lyon purchased the newspaper, and Paul served as editor until 1881, when the News changed hands and became the Daily Republican and News, and was chairman of the state party executive committee. He was the campaign manager for William Robert Taylor's coalition of Democrats, reform Republicans, and Grangers, which secured the election of Taylor as Governor in 1873, even though Paul was known as a "railroad" man. He and Taylor upheld the "Potter Law" when the law was challenged by Mitchell. Paul Wisconsin served as Taylor's man as the Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner from 1874 to 1876 and worked out a compromise with Mitchell, but the reform coalition was nonetheless defeated in the 1875 election and the Potter Law was repealed. However, Paul's reconciliation with Mitchell insured his personal political and financial future. He was also involved in educational politics and policy. He was a member of the Milwaukee Board of School Commissioners in 1870, then superintendent of public schools from 1870 to 1871. He was first appointed to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin in February 1874, served as its president from February 1875 through October 1877, and was re-appointed as a regent in 1879. Despite his own political activism, he is credited with doing important work to free the institution from political control and securing greater state support for the University.
Senator
He was elected as a Democratic and Greenbacker candidate for state senator in 1877 to succeed fellow Democrat John L. Mitchell in the Sixth District, with 2464 votes to 1664 for Republican David Vance. He was re-elected senator on November 4, 1879, receiving 2336 votes to 2101 for Republican State RepresentativeDavid J. Price. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1881, and was succeeded by Democrat Enoch Chase.
Back to business
With Alexander Mitchell's backing, Paul had established the Milwaukee Cement Co. in 1875. He was postmaster of Milwaukee from 1885 to 1889, and a member of the city's charter convention in 1887. In 1889 he became involved in disputes with his former associates over Milwaukee Cement, was defeated in a lawsuit, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he died a few months later.
