Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, amended by the re-apportionment of March 4, 1796, Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts for four-year terms.

Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.

Senators Ambrose Spencer (Middle D.), Leonard Gansevoort (Eastern D.), John Frey and Thomas R. Gold (both Western D.) were re-elected.

David Gelston, John Schenck (both Southern D.), Ebenezer Foote (Middle D.), John Sanders (Eastern D.); and Assemblymen DeWitt Clinton (Southern D.) and Frederick Gettman (Western D.) were also elected to full terms in the Senate.

Assemblyman William Denning (Southern D.) was elected to the Senate to a two-year term, to fill the other vacancy.

Jay called a special session of the Legislature when it seemed that a war with France was likely to break out, and he deemed it necessary to prepare the State for defence.

Near the end of the session, an "Act for Supplying the City of New-York with Pure and Wholesome Water" was passed, which contained hidden in its text the charter to set up the Bank of the Manhattan Company.