The best answer would be C. zeal. Zeal means enthusiasm for a cause which makes sense in this sentence.
Ire means anger, that doesn't fit. Neither does prodigy (meaning someone who is exceptional, especially at a young age), nor fete (meaning to entertain someone).
Answer:
Parallelism - “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated.” example: “And what have we to oppose [the British government]? Shall we try argument?” His point: we have nothing to fight them with because arguments don't work.
